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THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 


THEIR   CONVERSATION   WAS   INAUDIBLE   TO 
THOSE  IN  THE  HALL. 

(Page  72) 


WITH  SOME  INCIDENTAL  RELATION 
TO  THE  WOMAN 


BY 


CYRUS  TOWNSEND  BRADY 

AUTHOR  OF  "  RICHARD  THE  BRAZEN,"  "  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  LADY 
SUSAN,"  "  THE  SOUTHERNERS,"  ETC. 


Illustrated  by 
GEORGE  GIBBS 


NEW    YORK 

MOFFAT,  YARD  AND  COMPANY 
1909 


Copyright,  1909,  by 
MOFFAT,  YARD  AND  COMPANY 


All  Rights  Reserved 
Published,  February,  1909 


TO  MY  FRIEND 
NOAH  H.  SWAYNE 

IN  GRATEFUL  ACKNOWLEDGMENT 
OF  MANY  KINDNESSES 


2228437 


CONTENTS 

PROLOGUE 
CHAPTER  PAGE 

I    THE  STORM  WITHIN i 

II    THE  STORM  WITHOUT 16 

BOOK  I 
THE  AWAKENED  AMBITION 

I    THE  LONELINESS  OK  MR.  GORMLY 29 

II    THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY 41 

III  SOCIETY  BURSTS  UPON  MR.  GORMLY 59 

IV  Miss  HALDANE  Is  CHARMED  AND  CHARMING....  74 
V    MR.  HALDANE  Is  GREATLY  PLEASED 91 

VI    GORMLY  ANNOUNCES  His  CANDIDACY 117 

BOOK  II 
THE  BATTLE  FOR  FREEDOM 

VII    THE  OUTS  WOULD  FAIN  TAKE  A  HAND 137 

VIII    A  QUIET  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS 157 

IX    THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING 176 

X    THE  VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  Is  HEARD 193 

XI    Miss  HALDANE  LISTENS  TO  A  DECLARATION 219 

BOOK  III 

THE  CRUCIAL  MOMENTS 
XII    MRS.  HALDANE  Is  SURPRISED 239 

XIII  THE  DESPERATE  POSITION  OF  HALDANE 254 

XIV  GORMLY  RESISTS  His  GREATEST  TEMPTATION 268 

XV    THE  LAST  COUNCIL  OF  WAR 284 

XVI    THE  CHIEF  OF  POLICE  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY 297 

BOOK  IV 
THE  VICTORY 

XVII    COLONEL  BILL  HAMILTON  PLAYS  His  LONE  HAND  329 

vii 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 
*s 

FACING    PAGE 

Their  conversation  was  inaudible  to  those  in  the  hall 

Frontispiece 

"You    are   going   on  a  longer   journey  than  you 

planned!"  he  panted 10 

Gormly  deliberately  laid  all  his  cards  on  the  table   114 

44  We  can  find  out  all  about  him  ever  since  he  was 

a  baby." 174 

44  And  this  is  why  you  made  me  that  offer  of  mar- 
riage ? " 276 

And  then  at  last  he  understood 364 


PROLOGUE 
A  QUARTER  OF  A  CENTURY  BEFORE 


THE   RING  AND   THE  MAN 
CHAPTER  I 

THE  STORM  WITHIN 

/  I  VHE  storm  was  one  of  the  worst  that  had  ever 
burst  from  the  mountains  and  swept  across 
the  plains.  The  wind  came  in  wild  gusts  of  tre- 
mendous speed.  Even  in  the  lulls,  which  were 
only  comparatively  such,  it  blew  perhaps  twenty 
miles  an  hour.  The  fierce  blasts  were  laden  with 
fine  snow, —  frozen  spindrift  from  a  white  ocean 
of  cold!  Needles  of  ice  sharper  than  their  pro- 
totypes of  steel  cut  the  bare  flesh  of  those  whom 
evil  fortune  kept  abroad  on  such  a  night,  bring- 
ing the  blood  to  the  freezing  skin.  The  onslaught 
of  the  screaming  tempest  drove  the  hapless  cattle 
mad  with  pain  and  terror.  The  thick  snow  com- 
pelled them  to  huddle  together  at  last,  and  shelter- 
less to  suffer,  freeze,  and  die  in  the  pitiless  hur- 
ricane. 

Just  where  the  foothills  lose  themselves  in  the 
prairie  lay  huddled  a  little  town  or  camp,  trailing 
back  through  scattered  cabins  to  the  mining  enter- 
prises in  one  direction,  straggling  out  on  the  prairie 
through  widely  separated  farm  shacks  in  the  other. 


2  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Every  door  and  window  was  shut  and  barricaded 
against  the  searching  storm.  The  night  was  far 
spent.  Except  from  the  principal  saloon  of  the 
place,  where  some  reckless  spirits  still  held  high, 
defiant  revel,  no  feeble  glimmer  of  light  endeavor- 
ing to  pierce  the  white  opacity  of  the  driving  snow 
was  visible  from  any  quarter  save  one. 

In  one  of  the  poorest  and  most  miserable 
shanties  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town  a  woman 
waited  alone.  A  common  kerosene  lamp  stood  on 
a  table  before  the  window,  set  there  as  if  in  signal. 
Its  sickly  yellow  radiance  could  not  be  detected 
a  score  of  paces  off.  It  furnished,  however,  suf- 
ficient illumination  to  disclose  the  mean  and 
wretched  character  of  the  furnishings  of  the 
room. 

The  house,  a  mere  shack  which  shook  and 
quivered  under  the  tremendous  assaults  of  the 
storm,  and  might  have  been  blown  down  if  it  had 
not  been  buttressed  and  protected  by  heaps  of 
snow  yet  threatening  to  overwhelm  it,  contained 
but  one  room.  In  the  corner  farthest  from  the 
door  stood  a  tumbled,  frowzy  bed.  A  rickety 
chest  of  drawers,  a  kitchen  table,  a  rusty  cook 
stove,  a  few  uncertain  chairs  of  the  plainest  and 
cheapest  quality,  were  all  the  rest  of  the  furniture. 
A  few  clothes  hung  from  pegs  driven  in  the 
boarded  wall.  A  saddle  in  one  corner,  a  pickax 
and  shovel,  a  heavy  quirt,  and  a  rifle  hanging  from 
pegs  beneath  a  shelf  sufficiently  pointed  out  the 
avocations  of  the  owner.  That  he  was  not  sue- 


THE  STORM  WITHIN  3 

cessful  in  their  practice,  or,  being  successful,  that 
he  was  wasteful  of  the  returns,  was  indicated  by 
the  appearance  of  abject  poverty  everywhere  pre- 
sented; no  less  exhibited  by  the  woman  herself  than 
by  the  belongings  of  the  hovel. 

Yet  she  was  a  woman  who,  whatever  her  outward 
circumstances,  showed  no  poverty  of  spirit.  She 
raged  up  and  down  the  room  as  a  prisoned  tiger 
paces  the  narrow  confines  of  his  cage.  There  was 
no  human  eye  to  note  her  angry  passions,  and  she 
took  no  care  to  retain  them  in  fear  of  any  other; 
she  gave  them  full  vent.  She  talked  to  herself  in 
low,  tense  whispers.  As  she  walked,  she  lifted  her 
hands  as  if  in  appeal  to  that  Heaven  she  dis- 
dained, and  then  clenched  them  fiercely  in  defiance 
of  an  apparent  indifference  at  which  she  raged. 
Color  came  and  went  in  her  face.  Her  bosom 
heaved  tempestuously  to  match  the  rise  and  fall  of 
the  beating  storm.  Sometimes  she  paused  in  her 
tireless  pacing  and  stopped  by  the  window,  to  rest 
her  head  beneath  her  hand  on  the  sash  and  peer 
eagerly,  passionately,  out  into  the  falling  snow. 
She  could  see  nothing,  and  after  having  stared 
with  increased  disappointment  and  further  mut- 
tering of  angry  words,  she  would  resume  her  rest- 
less backward  and  forward  march. 

Had  there  been  any  spectator  when  she  assumed 
that  picturesque  position  at  the  window,  where  the 
light,  however  it  failed  to  illuminate  the  snow, 
threw  her  own  face  and  person  in  high  relief,  the 
observer  would  have  been  surprised  at  the  coarse 


4  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

and  yet  not  unattractive  beauty  of  her  face  and  fig- 
ure. She  was  full  lipped  and  deep  bosomed,  tall, 
lithe,  strong.  Her  cheeks  were  full  of  color,  her 
hair  black  and  coarsely  crisp  and  curly.  Her 
hands,  which  she  clasped  and  unclasped  nervously, 
were  large  and  reddened  by  toil,  but  they  were 
shapely  nevertheless.  But  there  was  neither  refine- 
ment nor  goodness  in  her  face.  There  were  great 
possibilities  of  evil  which  experience  could  have  de- 
tected. Hers  had  been  a  hard  life,  and  it  had 
made  her  a  hard  woman.  She  was  perhaps  twenty- 
five  years  old;  but  looked  older.  Save  for  a  cer- 
tain maturity  of  figure,  it  was  easy  to  believe  that 
under  calmer,  sweeter  conditions  she  might  have 
appeared  younger  than  she  was. 

For  hours  the  woman  had  waited  in  that  hut 
alone.  It  had  been  storming  badly  when  she 
began  her  vigil,  and  the  violence  of  the  tempest 
had  increased  until  she  feared  that  no  human  soul 
could  brave  it.  That  she  very  much  wanted  some 
one  to  attempt  it,  that  she  very  keenly,  ardently, 
longed  for  that,  was  quite  evident. 

Great  is  the  power  of  love.  Even  its  counter- 
feit —  that  which  passes  for  it  in  the  eyes  of  the 
ignorant  and  inexperienced  —  may  stir  men  and 
women  to  mighty  deeds.  Perhaps  equally  as 
great  is  that  fine  and  chivalric  enthusiasm  of  youth, 
that  quixotic  spirit  of  self  sacrifice  in  the  heart  of 
every  honorable  and  honest  boy  touched  with  the 
love  of  higher  things,  which  needs  no  old  tale  of 
chivalry  to  fire  its  ardor.  This  woman  waited 


THE  STORM  WITHIN  5 

the  arrival  of  one  who  fancied  himself  a  modern 
Perseus  about  to  release  another  bound  and  help- 
less Andromeda  from  a  devouring  monster. 

Whether  the  man  who  fatuously  filled  that 
role  —  or  the  boy,  rather,  for  he  had  not  reached 
man's  years  or  estate  —  would  arrive  before  her 
husband,  was  the  problem  that  filled  the  woman's 
mind.  In  view  of  the  blizzard  raging,  she  might 
have  wondered  whether,  in  case  either  of  them 
sought  the  house,  they  could  find  it  or  reach  it 
alive.  If  she  had  stopped  to  consider  that  phase 
of  the  possibilities,  she  would  have  been  pro- 
foundly glad  had  both  ventured  and  had  both  wan- 
dered on  in  the  night  until  beaten  down  and  mas- 
tered by  the  spirit  of  the  storm,  so  that  the 
searchers,  after  its  violence  had  abated,  might  find 
them  frozen  to  death  as  many  another  poor  fellow 
was  found  frozen  thereafter.  For  while  the 
woman  loathed  and  hated  her  drunken  brute  of 
a  husband,  yet  she  had  no  affection  for  the  foolish 
young  tenderfoot  who  had  wandered  out  West  to 
spend  a  summer  holiday  and  had  lingered  on 
through  the  winter,  fascinated  by  her  exuberant 
attractiveness,  and  flattered  by  her  bold  and  artful 
pursuit  of  him. 

She  had  thought  to  amuse  herself  in  her  dreary, 
wretched,  sordid  life  by  his  fresh,  frank,  open  ad- 
miration. The  woman's  drunken  husband  had 
cared  little  at  first;  but  lately,  under  the  jibes, 
sneers,  and  innuendos  of  his  companions,  he  had 
become  fiercely  jealous.  Then  in  maudlin  fury  he 


6  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

had  forbidden  the  boy  the  house,  and  had  sworn 
that  he  would  kill  him  on  sight. 

The  woman  thereupon  swiftly  made  up  her  mind 
to  break  the  thraldom  of  her  matrimonial  bond, 
and  in  the  young  stranger's  company  or  by  his 
agency  to  leave  the  country.  She  neither  desired 
nor  intended  to  be  tied  to  a  boy  a  half-dozen  years 
younger  than  she.  She  had  no  sympathy  with  his 
fine,  chivalric  and  entirely  disinterested  ideas. 
That  he  regarded  her  as  something  holy  amused 
her.  She  could  not  see  things  from  his  viewpoint 
but  she  could  profit  by  his  unselfish  devotion,  which 
was  as  limitless  as  his  heart  was  young;  and  she 
meant  to  do  it.  She  was  made  of  commoner  clay 
than  he. 

Once  in  civilization  it  would  be  easy  to  break 
away  from  him,  she  knew.  Thereafter  she  had 
no  fear  but  with  her  beauty,  her  wit,  and  her 
courage  with  her  utter  unscrupulousness  she  could 
make  her  way  in  that  East  which  she  had  never 
seen  —  she  had  been  born  in  the  mountains  —  but 
of  which  he  had  painted  for  her  even  out  of  his 
youthful  inexperience  such  strange  and  alluring 
pictures.  And  this  was  the  night  on  which  they 
had  agreed  to  take  their  departure. 

Since  her  husband's  wild  outbreak  of  jealousy, 
she  had  seen  the  boy  only  once.  In  that  surrep- 
titious interview  they  had  concocted  their  plans. 
Her  husband  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  nights, 
whenever  he  had  any  money,  in  gambling  and 
drinking  at  the  saloon.  By  a  lucky  chance  a  short 


THE  STORM  WITHIN  7 

time  before  in  an  all  night  trial  with  Fortune  he 
had  won  something  over  a  thousand  dollars.  The 
bulk  of  it  in  hard  cash  still  reposed  in  the  chest 
of  drawers.  That,  with  what  the  boy  could  con- 
tribute, would  provide  for  the  expenses  of  the 
journey.  She  had  got  it  out  and  tied  it  up  in  a 
little  canvas  bag.  It  lay  on  the  table  near  the 
lamp. 

Fifteen  miles  south  the  Union  Pacific  railroad 
ran  across  the  continent.  It  had  been  her  plan 
to  ride  thither  and  take  the  first  train  eastward, 
losing  themselves  in  Chicago,  and  thence  by  what- 
soever route  pleased  them  making  their  way  to 
New  York.  Whether  her  husband  would  pursue 
her  or  not,  she  could  not  tell.  He  would  be  with- 
out the  money,  since  she  meant  to  take  all  with 
her.  It  would  probably  be  sometime  before  he 
could  get  more.  He  had  few  resources;  his  mines 
were  worthless.  No  one  trusted  him;  all  men 
hated  him.  Such  sympathy  as  there  was  in  the 
camp  would  be  hers.  He  would  hardly  be  able  to 
follow  her  very  soon.  But  if  he  did,  that  was  a 
risk  she  must  take. 

Engrossed  in  the  present,  the  boy  thought  noth- 
ing at  all  about  the  future.  The  woman's  pre- 
dicament bulked  so  large  to  his  immature  imagina- 
tion that  there  was  nothing  else  on  the  horizon. 
There  was  no  other  horizon  than  she,  in  fact. 
And  his  one  desire  was  to  get  her  away  to  free  her. 
If  she  had  been  his  sister  he  could  have  done  no 
more,  no  less  —  a  singular  young  Galahad  he! 


8  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

And  now  this  storm  bade  fair  to  render  the 
whole  plan  impossible.  Misunderstanding  his 
temper  she  feared  that  the  boy  would  be  frightened 
by  the  blizzard,  and  she  cursed  Fortune,  which 
had  put  what  she  thought  to  be  so  frail  an  instru- 
ment of  deliverance  in  her  hand.  Yet  there  was 
more  in  the  boy  than  she  imagined;  for  when  she 
had  about  made  up  her  mind  finally  that  he  would 
not  come,  the  door  was  thrown  open  and  he  stag- 
gered into  the  room. 

The  wild  shrieking  of  the  wind  and  the  thick 
carpet  of  snow  outside  had  made  his  approach 
noiseless.  She  was  startled,  therefore,  by  his  sud- 
den entrance.  The  room  was  instantly  filled  with 
wind  and  snow  whirling  through  the  open  doorway. 
The  lamp  flickered  wildly.  The  woman  screamed 
slightly  and  stepped  toward  the  snow  covered,  ice 
incrusted  figure. 

The  young  man  forced  the  door  shut,  turned 
and  faced  her.  He  tore  off  his  fur  cap  and  threw 
it  on  the  floor.  He  stretched  out  his  icy  gaunt- 
leted  hands  toward  her.  To  reach  the  cabin  he 
had  been  compelled  to  face  the  blizzard.  His 
face  was  white  yet  bleeding.  The  contrast  of  the 
blood  with  the  white  of  the  snow  clinging  thickly 
to  his  heavy  buffalo  overcoat  was  startling.  The 
woman  shrank  back  from  him. 

"  Is  this  my  welcome?  "  he  said  in  a  voice  manly 
enough  in  spite  of  his  youthful  aspect. 

"*  You're  so  wet  and  so  cold,"  said  the  woman. 


THE  STORM  WITHIN  9 

But  as  she  spoke  she  stepped  nearer  to  him  ab- 
sorbed in  her  own  desires  and  indifferent  to  him 
and  everything  else. 

"Is  everything  ready?"  she  asked.  "The 
horses?" 

"  They're  outside,"  returned  the  boy.  "  But 
you  didn't  think  of  venturing  in  this  blizzard? 
Why,  it's  like  hell  itself,  or  would  be  if  hell  was 
cold!" 

"  I'd  risk  anything,"  said  the  woman  fiercely, 
"  to  get  away  from  him !  You  won't  fail  me 
now?" 

"  But,  good  God,  girl!  "  answered  the  boy  with 
that  assumption  of  superior  age  which  so  satisfied 
his  pride,  "  we'll  die  in  this  blizzard." 

"  No,"  persisted  the  woman.  "  See,  the  storm 
comes  straight  from  the  north.  Our  way  is  due 
south;  we've  only  to  keep  it  at  our  backs." 

"  All  right,"  said  the  boy  cheerily.  He  turned 
and  stared  out  of  the  window.  "  You've  no  idea 
how  terrible  it  is,  though." 

"  I  don't  care." 

"  Get  ready,  then." 

"I'm  ready,"  she  replied.  "See!"  She 
lifted  the  skirt  of  her  dress  and  showed  him  a 
pair  of  horseman's  boots  with  a  pair  of  her  hus- 
band's trousers  tucked  tightly  in  them.  "It's  a 
good  thing  he  has  a  small  foot,"  she  sneered. 

"  Curse  him !  "  said  the  boy.  "  I'd  like  to  set- 
tle with  him  before  we  go." 


io  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  You'll  settle  with  him  enough,"  said  the 
woman  cynically,  "  when  you  take  me  away  from 
him." 

She  turned  and  took  down  from  one  of  the  pegs 
a  heavy  fur  overcoat.  The  boy  assisted  her  to 
put  it  on.  From  a  holster  hanging  on  the  wall  she 
drew  a  small  silver  mounted  thirty-two  calibered 
revolver.  She  slipped  this  into  the  pocket  of  her 
coat,  drew  on  a  pair  of  buckskin  gloves,  covered 
her  head  with  a  closely  knitted  comforter  which 
she  tied  under  her  chin,  picked  up  the  bag  of 
money  from  the  table,  and  faced  him. 

"  I'm  ready,"  she  said  again. 

"  Let  us  start,  then,"  cried  the  boy,  stepping 
forward. 

On  the  instant  a  whirl  of  wind  disclosed  to  them 
that  the  door  had  suddenly  opened.  They 
turned  to  face  a  drunken,  infuriated,  leering  fig- 
ure. He  had  on  a  short,  thick  fur  jacket,  which 
left  his  hips  completely  uncovered.  A  heavy  re- 
volver had  dangled  in  his  holster.  He  dragged  it 
out  as  he  spoke  and  trained  it  on  the  boy. 

"  You're  going  for  a  longer  journey  than  you 
planned!  "  he  panted  thickly,  as  he  strove  to  steady 
the  weapon  and  cover  the  other. 

The  boy  was  fumbling  at  the  fastenings  of  his 
coat.  His  own  revolver  was  not  get-at-able  in- 
stantly, as  it  should  have  been  and  would  have 
been  had  he  been  native  to  the  West. 

"Fumble  at  'em,  you  fool !  "  cried  the  man. 
"  Before  you  get  'em  open,  I'll  shoot  you  dead.  I 


THE  STORM  WITHIN  n 

don't  do  it  now,  cause  I  want  you  to  taste  death 
and  hell  as  long  as  possible  before  you  go  into  'em. 
You  thought  you'd  make  a  fool  out  of  me,  did 
you,  and  you  too,  you  —  " 

He  flung  a  frightful,  mordant  word  at  his  wife 
which  stung  not  less  because  it  was  in  large 
measure  undeserved,  at  least  so  far  as  the  boy  was 
concerned. 

"  I'll  settle  with  you  when  I  get  through  with 
him.  Your  time's  almost  up !  "  he  continued,  as 
the  boy  at  last  succeeded  in  reaching  his  weapon. 

He  was  game,  that  boy,  although  his  face  under 
its  blood  was  whiter  than  it  had  been  when  he 
entered  the  cabin,  while  the  other  man's,  similarly 
snow  wounded,  was  red  with  rage;  and,  though 
he  was  covered  and  even  a  drunken  man  could 
scarcely  miss  at  such  range,  he  nevertheless  drew 
his  own  weapon.  But  before  he  could  raise  it 
there  was  a  sudden  movement  back  of  him.  The 
man  in  the  doorway  turned  sharply. 

"  What !  "  he  cried  to  his  wife.  "  You  would, 
you  —  " 

At  that  instant  the  boy  was  conscious  of  a  sud- 
den flash  of  light  and  a  sharp  detonation.  The 
room  was  filled  with  noise,  a  little  cloud  of  smoke 
blew  down  on  him.  Standing  with  his  own  pistol 
butt  clasped  tight  in  his  hand,  he  saw  the  man  in 
the  doorway  reel.  The  arm  that  held  his  weapon 
dropped  to  his  side.  With  a  convulsive  movement 
he  pulled  the  trigger.  The  bullet  buried  itself  in 
the  floor,  while  the  man  sank  down  on  his  knees, 


12  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

swayed  a  moment,  a  frightful  look  in  his  eyes,  and 
then  pitched  forward  on  his  face  and  lay  still. 

"  Good  God !  "  whispered  the  boy  turning  to 
his  companion,  "you've  shot  him!  " 

He  stared  at  the  woman,  who  still  clasped  the 
little  silver  mounted  weapon  she  had  used  with 
such  terrible  effect. 

"  It  was  his  life,  or  your  life,  or  mine,"  was 
the  answer.  "  I  did  it  for  you,"  she  said  quickly, 
seeing  a  look  of  horror  and  repulsion  spreading 
over  the  face  of  her  companion. 

"  Yes  —  yes !     I  know,"  he  replied ;  "  but  —  " 

"  Come  we  must  get  out  of  here  immediately." 

**  Of  course,  of  course,"  whispered  the  boy  nerv- 
ously, "  we  can't  stay  here  now." 

"  Drag  him  into  the  room  and  shut  the  door!  " 

The  lad  hesitated. 

"  Are  you  afraid?  "  sneered  the  woman,  making 
as  if  to  do  so  herself. 

"  Certainly  not,"  was  the  answer;  but  the  boy 
nevertheless  was  afraid  —  afraid  of  death,  with 
more  fear  than  he  had  ever  felt  for  any  one  living. 

He  had  not  lived  long  enough  where  life  was 
the  cheapest  of  commodities  to  make  him  indif- 
ferent to  the  ghastly  heap  on  the  floor.  The 
peaceful  spirit  of  more  civilized  regions  had  not 
yet  been  eradicated  from  his  being.  Yet  some- 
thing had  to  be  done  and  at  once. 

Forcing  himself  to  the  task  at  last,  he  stooped 
down,  seized  the  man  by  the  shoulders,  turned 
him  over  on  his  face,  and  dragged  him  farther  into 


THE  STORM  WITHIN  13 

the.  room.     Then  he   shut  the  door.     The  two 
stared  a  moment  at  the  prostrate  figure. 

"  He's  not  dead  yet,"  said  the  boy  slowly. 

"  No ;  but  he  soon  will  be."  The  woman 
stooped  over  and  unbuttoned  the  man's  coat  and 
waistcoat.  "There!"  she  said  pointing  to  a 
ghastly  hole.  "  I  struck  him  fair  in  the  breast. 
Would  to  God  it'd  been  in  his  black  heart!  "  she 
added.  "  Don't  you  see  that  we  must  go  now  and 
quick?" 

"  I  see,"  said  the  young  man.  He  straightened 
himself  up,  clenched  his  hand,  summoning  his  cour- 
age. "  It  had  to  be,  I  suppose,  and  as  you  say  it 
was  for  me;  but  I  wish  you  hadn't  done  it." 

"  Past  wishing  for  now,"  said  the  woman  coolly. 
"  Come,  we  can't  delay  any  longer." 

44  I'll  take  the  blame  on  myself  if  we're  caught." 
said  the  boy.  "  It  was  my  fault  and  you  saved 
my  life." 

'  That's  noble  of  you,"  returned  the  woman  in- 
differently; "but  we  won't  be  caught." 

:'  Well,  then,  I'll  save  your  reputation  before  I 
go,"  continued  the  other  quixotically. 

There  were  a  few  tattered  books  on  the  shelf. 
He  took  one  down,  tore  out  the  flyleaf,  drew  a 
pencil  from  his  pocket,  scribbled  on  it  a  few  words, 
signed  it,  held  it  to  the  woman  to  read,  laid  the 
leaf  down  on  the  body  of  the  dying  man,  and  then 
turned  to  the  door.  He  opened  it,  and  the  woman 
followed  him  out  into  the  night. 

The  room  was  very  still.     Within  its  walls  a 


14  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

tempest  fiercer  and  more  cruel  than  that  which 
stormed  without  had  raged.  All  was  quiet  and 
silent  now.  The  lamplight,  as  before,  fell  un- 
heeded on  the  whirling  snow  outside.  Inside  it 
illumined  the  ghastly,  pain  contorted  counte- 
nance of  the  man  lying  on  the  floor.  The  blood 
welled  out  from  the  wound,  rolled  slowly  across 
his  breast,  soaked  his  garments,  and  lay  in  a  lit- 
tle dark  pool  beneath  him.  Except  for  the  long, 
slow,  faint,  and  fainter  breathing  of  the  man,  there 
was  not  a  sound  within  the  hovel. 

Death  hovered  over  him  the  long  night  through. 
The  morning  found  him  still  alive,  yet  barely 
breathing.  He  was  trembling  on  the  eternal  verge 
later  in  the  day  when  men  seeking  him  burst  into 
the  room.  They  found  the  letter  of  confession 
still  lying  where  it  had  been  placed.  They  re- 
vived the  man  sufficiently  by  stimulants  to  enable 
him  to  speak  a  pregnant  word  or  two  before  his 
lips  closed  forever. 

The  confession,  the  bullet  that  had  killed  him, 
the  empty  revolver,  and  the  man's  last  words, 
solemnly  attested  by  those  present,  were  care- 
fully preserved  by  the  leader  of  them  all.  They 
might  be  useful  some  day;  who  knew?  For  the 
rest  it  was  evident  what  had  happened.  The  boy 
and  the  woman  were  gone  from  the  camp.  No 
search  was  made  for  them;  none  was  possible. 
The  blizzard  had  spent  itself  by  that  time;  but 
the  prairie  was  covered  deep  with  drifted  snow. 
A  period  of  intense  cold  supervened.  It  was 


THE  STORM  WITHIN  15 

hardly  within  human  possibility  that  the  two  fu- 
gitives could  have  got  safely  away.  They  must 
be  buried  somewhere  to  the  southward  in  the 
vast  drifts.  Spring  might  reveal  their  fate,  it 
might  remain  forever  a  secret.  So  far  as  the 
denizens  of  the  country  were  concerned,  the 
tragedy  —  one  of  the  numberless  ones  of  the 
frontier  —  was  over.  In  a  day  or  two  it  was  for- 
gotten. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  STORM  WITHOUT 

/"|~AHE  woman's  first  thought  when  she  stepped 
•*•  outside  the  door  was  that  at  all  hazards 
they  must  go  back.  The  wind  almost  swept  her 
away;  only  the  steadying  grasp  of  the  boy,  better 
prepared  than  she  for  the  attack  of  the  storm, 
enabled  her  to  keep  her  feet.  Yet  the  presence 
of  that  ghastly  thing  on  the  floor  which  was  af- 
fecting even  her  iron  nerve,  prevented  their  return. 
Whatever  happened  they  must  go  on !  The  door 
of  that  shelter  was  closed  to  them  forever  by  the 
dead  or  dying  tenant.  She  realized,  however, 
that  their  chances  of  escaping  freezing  to  death 
in  this  mad  endeavor  were  so  small  as  to  be  prac- 
tically none.  Well,  fate  had  forced  her  into  this 
position.  She  would  follow  the  path  she  had 
chosen,  whatever  might  be  at  the  end  of  the  way. 
Speech  was  well  nigh  impossible.  The  boy 
staggered  on  past  the  window,  and  she  followed 
until  the  lee  of  the  house  was  reached.  Between 
a  great  drift  and  the  wall,  in  a  little  open  space, 
the  horses  were  tied.  The  boy  was  a  natural 
horseman.  He  had  picked  out  the  best  two 
broncos  in  the  camp.  If  any  animals  could  take 
them  to  safety,  these  could.  Not  yet  chilled  by 

16 


THE  STORM  WITHOUT  17 

the  fierce  cold,  they  untied  the  shivering,  re- 
luctant, terrified  horses  from  the  wooden  pins 
driven  into  the  chinks  between  the  log  walls  of 
the  house  to  which  they  had  been  hitched,  mounted 
them,  and  threading  their  way  round  the  drift 
started  southward  on  their  awful  ride.  They 
left  death  behind  them  —  and  lo!  death  loomed 
before  and  on  either  hand. 

Except  where  the  storm  was  broken  by  houses, 
drifts  had  not  yet  formed.  The  wind  was  too 
terrific;  it  swept  the  level  prairie  clean.  But  away 
from  the  shelter  of  the  house  they  got  the  full 
force  of  it.  Although  they  were  thickly  clad  in 
wool  and  fur,  the  pressure  of  the  storm  drove 
their  garments  against  their  bodies,  and  soon  filled 
them  with  icy  cold.  There  was  no  help  for  it, 
no  relief  from  it.  They  had  to  bear  it.  They 
could  only  bend  their  backs  to  it  and  keep  on,  trust- 
ing to  the  endurance  of  their  horses.  Fortunately 
the  wind  was  at  their  backs.  There  was  no  fear 
that  they  would  lose  their  way,  or  that  the  horses 
would  go  astray  so  long  as  it  blew  steadily  from 
the  north.  No  horse,  left  to  itself,  would  ever 
have  attempted  to  face  that  storm.  So  long  as  the 
storm  held,  if  the  horses  had  to  go  at  all,  they 
would  go  south  before  it.  So  for  untold  periods 
they  plodded  on. 

The  woman  judged  that  it  had  been  about  one 
in  the  morning  when  they  had  started.  The 
Overland  Limited  ran  through  the  station  at  three. 
No  horses  that  lived  could  have  made  that  fif- 


i8  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

teen  miles  in  two  hours  under  those  conditions. 
It  was  more  than  probable,  however,  that  the 
Limited  would  be  greatly  delayed  by  the  storm, 
and  if  they  kept  going  steadily  they  would  be 
likely  to  catch  it.  At  any  rate,  when  they  reached 
the  station,  they  would  find  food,  fire  and  shelter. 

She  was  experienced  enough  to  know  that  as  the 
storm  blew  itself  out  and  the  wind  gradually  fell, 
the  drifts  would  pile  up  beind  them  as  well  as  be- 
fore them,  and  the  cold  would  come;  so  that  they 
would  be  safe  from  pursuit  for  a  day  or  two 
certainly.  She  hoped  to  reach  the  station  before 
the  wind  died  away.  If  their  horses  did  not  give 
out,  if  they  were  not  turned  adrift  on  foot  in  the 
storm  and  snow  and  left  to  plod  on  until  they  fell, 
and  slept,  and  froze,  and  died,  they  would  perhaps 
get  away. 

More  experienced  than  the  boy,  all  these  possi- 
bilities were  present  to  her.  She  did  not  pray, 
she  could  ask  nothing  of  God;  but  she  went  warily 
and  carefully,  helping  her  horse  where  she  could. 

As  for  her  companion,  he  did  not  give  these 
matters  very  much  consideration.  He  kept  going 
toward  the  south  to  the  railroad  station  because 
that  was  the  only  thing  to  be  done.  He  was  even 
miserably  satisfied  because  he  was  taking  the 
woman  away  from  a  life  of  such  sordid  wretched- 
ness that  it  had  awakened  his  pity.  It  seemed  to 
him  that  he  was  doing  a  fine  and  noble  thing  —  and 
he  was.  That  the  world  would  put  any  other 
construction  upon  his  action  never  occurred  to 


THE  STORM  WITHOUT  19 

him.  But  if  it  had  he  would  not  have  cared.  He 
felt  like  a  knight  errant  of  old  sometimes  when 
he  could  forget  the  dead  man. 

The  two  horses  kept  close  together  for  com- 
panionship. Indeed,  the  woman  took  care  that 
this  should  be.  Her  body  touched  his  from  time 
to  time  as  they  rode.  He  could  see  her  by  turn- 
ing his  head  slightly  to  one  side. 

Another,  however,  rode  with  him,  if  not  with 
her.  Before  his  eyes  was  ever  present  that  gory, 
grizzly  spectacle  of  a  human  form,  the  red  blood 
welling  from  its  breast,  redder  still  from  the  white 
snow  with  which  he  was  surrounded.  That  awful 
figure  beckoned  him  on.  He  was  younger,  finer, 
better,  than  she.  He  was  more  fool  than  knave; 
she  was  all  knave.  Her  thoughts  went  forward 
to  what  was  before  her;  but  his  went  backward  to 
what  was  behind. 

They  rode  in  silence.  The  noise  of  the  tempest 
made  conversation  practically  impossible.  It  was 
wiser,  even  his  inexperience  recognized,  to  save 
breath  for  the  struggle  that  lay  before  them, 
and  so  in  that  darkness  they  plodded  on  and 
on  —  Red  Care  leading  the  Horseman  through 
the  white  snow! 

After  a  long  time  it  seemed  to  them  that  the 
fierceness  of  the  storm  was  somewhat  abated.  The 
wind  was  certainly  falling;  but  the  drifts  were 
steadily  rising,  and  their  progress  was  more  dif- 
ficult every  moment  for  that  cause.  Their  very 
souls  were  numb  with  the  awful  cold.  Still  they 


20  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

went  forward,  slower  now,  and  more  slowly  ever. 

How  far  they  had  come,  what  time  it  was, 
where  they  were,  neither  he  nor  she  could  tell.  It 
seemed  to  them  both  that  they  had  been  hours  on 
the  way.  The  woman  was  sure  that  they  must 
have  compassed  the  greater  part  of  the  journey, 
when  her  horse  suddenly  stumbled  and  fell.  She 
was  larger  and  heavier  than  the  boy,  and  hers  had 
been  the  weaker  steed.  Her  bronco's  matchless 
endurance  had  at  last  been  exhausted  by  the  ter- 
rible struggle  of  their  journey.  He  lay  dying 
where  he  fell,  and  nothing  she  could  do  could 
get  him  up  again.  He  was  down  and  out,  done 
for.  The  boy  had  stopped  of  course,  when  her 
horse  had  fallen.  He  had  dismounted  and  helped 
her  to  rise.  He  had  assisted  her  vain  efforts  to 
get  her  own  played  out  horse  on  its  feet.  The 
two  now  stood  staring  at  each  other  in  dismay. 

"  You  must  take  my  horse,"  said  the  boy  at 
last. 

The  woman  nodded.  With  his  assistance  she 
climbed  slowly  and  painfully  into  the  saddle,  took 
the  reins  from  the  boy,  and  started  on.  Her  com- 
panion caught  hold  of  the  stirrup  leather  and 
staggered  forward  by  her  side.  The  going  was 
now  infinitely  harder  for  the  remaining  horse. 
The  woman  immediately  realized  that  with  this 
almost  dead  weight  plunging  through  the  deep 
drifts  and  dragging  heavily  at  the  stirrup  leather, 
the  remaining  bronco  would  soon  be  exhausted. 

The  cold  had  grown  more  intense.     She  was 


THE  STORM  WITHOUT  21 

almost  paralyzed  and  dumb  with  it;  and  what  must 
be  the  condition  of  the  man  reeling  and  stagger- 
ing by  her  side,  sustained  only  by  his  convulsive 
grasp  on  the  stirrup  leather,  she  could  well  imag- 
ine. She  had  meant  to  play  fair  with  him  but  it 
could  not  be.  And  so  for  a  long  time  the  trio 
plodded  on  in  this  way,  the  woman  nerving  herself 
to  a  frightful  action  as  best  she  could.  She  hes- 
itated to  do  it.  She  was  reluctant — 

But  no  horse  that  ever  lived  could  stand  such 
a  strain.  She  knew  that  it  would  be  a  matter  of 
minutes  now  when  the  animal  she  rode  on  would 
also  fall,  and  lie  when  he  had  fallen  like  his  dead 
brother  back  on  the  trail,  and  then  she  and  the 
boy  would  inevitably  perish. 

She  looked  down  at  him  as  he  reeled  and 
plunged  by  her  side.  She  could  not  see  the  boy's 
face.  His  head  was  bent  over.  He  too  was 
almost  at  the  limit  of  his  endurance.  He  was 
covered  with  ice  and  snow,  a  ghostly  sort  of 
wraith  lurching  on  at  her  feet! 

Well,  it  was  his  life  or  hers!  The  decision 
was  forced  upon  her.  And  perhaps  after  all  it 
was  just  as  well  to  get  rid  of  them  both  and  have 
done  with  it.  The  hand  that  had  pulled  the  trig- 
ger was  willing  to  do  what  was  to  be  done  again. 
This  time  it  needed  no  weapon.  Her  horse  was 
going  very  slowly.  She  reached  over,  and  before 
the  boy  realized  what  was  happening  she  caught 
his  hand,  tore  his  fingers  from  the  saddle  strap, 
and  thrust  him  violently  backward.  Unprepared, 


22  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

unsuspecting,  half-dazed,  he  could  offer  no  ade- 
quate resistance.  He  was  a  slender  lad,  not  yet 
having  reached  his  full  growth  for  all  his  nine- 
teen years.  He  reeled  and  fell  supine  in  a  deep 
and  overwhelming  drift.  She  struck  the  horse 
heavily  with  the  whip  that  hung  from  the  saddle 
bow,  and  the  animal  plunged  forward  wildly.  To 
put  as  much  distance  as  possible  between  herself 
and  the  boy,  she  urged  him  on.  She  knew  that 
she  was  safe  unless  he  should  try  to  shoot  her;  for 
he  was  too  weak  and  too  exhausted  to  catch  her. 
A  few  more  steps  would  put  her  out  of  sight  too, 
though  there  were  already  indications  of  breaking 
day  to  her  left;  so  she  mercilessly  urged  forward 
the  gasping,  exhausted  horse. 

The  boy's  senses  were  quickened  into  instant 
action  by  her  conduct.  After  the  first  moment  of 
surprise,  he  knew  at  once  that  she  was  deliberately 
abandoning  him  to  die  in  the  snow.  A  hot  rush 
of  blood,  in  spite  of  the  cold,  swept  over  him. 
He  thrust  his  hand  within  his  coat  and  dragged 
out  a  weapon.  He  raised  it  and  trained  it  on 
the  woman's  back,  and  for  the  moment  his  hand 
did  not  tremble.  Then  there  rose  before  him 
that  other  gory  figure.  Though  he  had  lived 
some  months  on  the  wild  frontier  and  had  seen 
more  than  one  man  killed  there,  he  had  never 
been  connected  with  murder  before,  even  as  an  ac- 
cessory after  the  fact,  and  the  horror  of  it  was  still 
upon  him.  He  lowered  the  pistol,  though  he 
could  easily  have  shot  her  dead.  As  he  did  so 


THE  STORM  WITHOUT  23 

the  figures  of  horse  and  woman  disappeared  from 
his  vision  in  the  snow,  thicker  now  and  falling 
more  steadily  and  softly.  He  thrust  the  pistol 
back  into  its  holster,  fastened  his  coat  again,  and 
by  a  superhuman  effort  rose  to  his  feet. 

Such  treachery  on  the  part  of  a  woman  would 
have  killed  some  men;  not  so  this  boy.  In  that 
moment  he  became  a  man.  He  saw  some  little 
justification  for  the  drunken  husband  too  as  he 
realized  the  character  of  the  woman  he  had  so 
unselfishly  sought  to  succor.  He  saw  himself  a 
fool;  he  determined  that  he  would  not  also  see 
himself  a  coward.  Clenching  his  fists  and  sum- 
moning his  strength,  he  followed  southward  afoot 
in  the  woman's  wake. 

What  his  idea  was, —  whether  to  pursue  her,  to 
overtake  her,  to  reproach  her,  maybe  to  kill  her; 
or  whether  it  was  simply  the  heroic  resolve  that  he 
would  not  be  beaten  down,  that  if  he  died,  he 
would  die  not  supinely  but  exerting  his  manhood 
to  the  last  limit  of  its  power, —  he  did  not  know, 
he  could  not  tell.  Probably  it  was  a  combination 
of  both  motives.  At  any  rate,  with  leaden  feet 
and  aching  muscles,  with  bursting  heart  and  throb- 
bing temples,  with  freezing  body  and  dead  soul, 
he  plodded  on  and  on. 

Nor  was  he  alone.  As  before,  the  red  figure 
was  with  him.  This  time  it  seemed  to  be  by  his 
side.  He  had  a  strange  sort  of  sympathy  for 
that  dead  man  now.  Perhaps  there  had  been 
reasons  for  his  drunken,  abandoned  course. 


24  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Alone  or  not,  with  desperate  determination  he 
staggered  on. 

It  was  such  a  feat  of  endurance  and  persistent 
courage  as  humanity  under  normal  conditions  was 
not  capable  of.  He  walked  —  if  that  be  the 
word  for  his  progress  —  with  his  head  down  and 
his  body  bent  lower  and  lower.  He  took  long 
rests  between  the  steps.  By  and  by  he  fell  for- 
ward on  his  face.  The  sensation  of  delicious  rest 
and  drowsiness  that  swept  over  him  wooed  him  to 
lie  still  and  die;  but  there  were  still  sparks  and 
remnants  of  manhood  and  courage  in  him.  He 
shook  off  his  desire  to  sleep  at  last  and  strove 
frantically  to  rise.  Finding  that  he  could  not, 
he  crawled  forward  on  his  hands  and  knees,  slowly 
working  himself  over  the  snow  covered  ground, 
round  the  drifts  like  a  great  animal. 

There  was  no  use.  Humanity  could  not  stand 
the  strain  any  longer.  One  more  movement  he 
made,  and  just  as  he  was  about  to  sink  down  for- 
ever he  heard  a  long,  deep  hollow,  mournful 
sound.  He  stopped,  interested,  dimly  wondering 
what  it  could  be. 

Whatever  it  was,  it  meant  life  of  some  kind. 
It  came  from  directly  in  front  of  him.  It  nerved 
him  to  further  effort.  Summoning  the  last  vestige 
of  his  strength,  he  advanced  a  little  farther.  The 
faint  notes  of  a  bell  came  to  his  ear.  There  was 
life,  and  there  was  rescue!  He  could  not  give 
up  now!  He  writhed  forward  convulsively,  his 


THE  STORM  WITHOUT  25 

head  swaying  from  side  to  side,  more  animal  like 
than  ever. 

Lights  appeared  in  the  dull,  dead,  leaden  gray 
of  the  breaking  winter  dawn.  He  heard  that  bell 
again,  the  grinding  of  steel  on  steel,  the  noise  of 
a  whistle,  the  deep  sobbing  breath  of  escaping 
steam. 

He  knew  what  it  was  now.  It  was  a  loco- 
motive. 

He  lifted  his  head  and  saw  lights  faintly.  He 
divined  that  it  was  the  station,  the  train,  the  Over- 
land Limited !  She  would  get  on  it  and  go  away ! 
What  mattered  it? 

And  what  of  himself?  There  was  help;  there 
was  life !  He  actually  rose  to  his  feet  and 
wavered  on.  By  happy  chance  the  contour  of 
the  ground  had  caused  the  space  between  him  and 
the  lights  to  be  swept  comparatively  bare  of  snow. 
It  was  not  now  difficult  walking,  yet  he  staggered 
like  a  drunken  man. 

Ah !  the  lights  were  moving  before  his  eyes, 
they  danced  and  flickered.  The  train  was  going! 
He  broke  into  a  reeling  run,  hoarse  whispers  on 
his  frozen  lips.  Too  late  I 

He  stumbled  and  fell  across  the  car  tracks, 
dimly  conscious  of  the  lights,  of  the  departing 
train.  He  had  just  sense  enough  and  strength 
enough  to  cry  out  as  he  did  so.  Some  one  on  the 
station  platform  heard  his  voice.  Men  came 
toward  him;  he  was  lifted  up  and  carried  into  a 


26  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

warm  room.  Something  burning  yet  deliciously 
reviving  was  poured  down  his  throat. 

"  The  woman !  "  he  gasped  out,  looking  up  in 
the  faces  of  the  station  agent  and  his  helper  bend- 
ing over  him. 

"  She  took  the  Limited  not  five  minutes  ago." 
said  the  man  staring  at  him  curiously.  "  The 
train  was  two  hours  and  a  half  late  or  she'd  never 
have  got  it." 

"  She's  gone  then  ?  "  gasped  the  boy. 

"  Yes." 

"  Thank  God  she  got  away !  "  he  murmered  as 
he  lapsed  into  complete  unconsciousness. 

There  was  good  stuff  in  the  boy.  He  was  glad 
the  woman  had  escaped  in  spite  of  all.  He  did 
not  want  another  human  being's  life  on  his  hands. 
The  red  figure  alone  in  the  cabin  was  enough. 
The  remembrance  of  him  would  be  with  the  boy 
when  the  woman  herself  was  forgotten. 


CHAPTER  I 

THE   LONELINESS   OF  MR.    GORMLY 

/~T"VO  his  great  surprise,  George  Gormly  some- 
-*•  times  found  himself  feeling  lonely,  and  the 
oftener  so  as  he  grew  older.  Every  man  who 
has  a  natural  liking  for  women, —  and  what  true 
man  has  not?  —  yet  who  has  no  intimate  friend- 
ships with  or  relations  to  the  other  sex,  is  likely 
to  find  himself  in  that  state  of  mind  sooner  or 
later.  The  exceptions  to  this  rule  are  certain  con- 
firmed bachelors,  whom  age  and  experience,  to- 
gether with  a  certain  habit  of  independent  self 
reliance,  not  always  the  sole  property  of  the  male 
sex,  have  rendered  immune  to  the  depression  of 
solitariness.  Gormly  was  sufficiently  aged ;  he  was 
fourty-four  although  he  looked  much  younger. 
He  was  sufficiently  experienced;  he  had  dealt  with 
women  for  a  straight  quarter  of  a  century  although 
he  had  neither  loved  nor  married  one.  He  was 
sufficiently  self  reliant;  he  had  built  up  by  his  own 
unaided  efforts  the  greatest  retail  merchandise 
business  of  his  day  and  generation.  He  was  suf- 
ficiently independent  —  for  he  had  done  it 
alone  —  to  have  been  above  the  ordinary  feeling 
of  loneliness.  Nevertheless,  he  was  tempermen- 

29 


30  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

tally  lonesome,  and  at  this  particular  moment  des- 
perately so. 

He  had  drifted  into  New  York  some  twenty- 
five  years  before,  utterly  unheralded,  unnoticed. 
He  had  a  little  money  in  his  pocket;  youth, 
strength,  good  looks  to  accompany  it;  a  certain 
keen  commercial  ability  latent  in  his  being;  and  a 
wealth  of  bitter  cynicism  in  his  heart, —  bad  from 
the  social  viewpoint  in  one  so  young  (he  was  only 
nineteen),  but  not  entirely  useless  in  the  business 
career  he  had  marked  out  for  himself.  He  had 
begun  by  filling  a  small  clerkship  in  a  little  dry- 
goods  store.  He  kept  at  it  until  he  owned  the 
store,  and  after  that  a  larger  store  on  a  better 
street.  He  had  developed  a  genius  for  trade,  and 
an  executive  ability  in  accord,  until  the  original 
little  shop  had  expanded  into  a  fifteen-story 
building  covering  a  block  on  the  principal  thorough- 
fare of  New  York  City,  and  its  owner  had  become 
a  power  in  finance, —  a  merchant  prince.  Such 
was  George  Gormly. 

He  was,  too,  a  scrupulously  honest  man.  He 
sold  good  goods,  without  deceit.  Things  were  as 
he  represented  them.  He  established  principles  of 
accommodation  in  his  dealings  that  were  unique 
when  they  were  first  instituted  in  New  York.  He 
made  no  dishonest  dollars.  His  money  was  good 
everywhere  because  it  was  untainted.  His  word 
was  his  bond.  Even  that  portion  of  the  business 
and  speculative  world  which  openly  mocks  at  integ- 
rity, in  its  heart  respected  him.  He  prospered  ex- 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  MR.  GORMLY     31 

ceedingly,  one  expansion  following  another.  His 
methods  were  legitimate  beyond  dispute.  Eschew- 
ing speculation  of  any  kind  and  devoting  himself 
strictly  to  his  business,  he  found  himself  in  middle 
life  the  head,  the  foot,  the  sole  owner,  of  the 
greatest  enterprise  of  the  kind  that  the  world  had 
ever  seen. 

This  had  not  been  achieved  lightly.  He  had 
brought  it  about  because,  with  absolute  single- 
ness of  heart,  he  had  put  every  ounce  of  strength 
and  time  and  talent,  which  in  him  amounted  to 
genius,  at  the  service  of  his  affairs.  Time,  talent, 
and  genius  do  not  always  produce  such  results; 
Fortune  still  must  be  considered  in  the  game. 
Opportunity  had  favored  Gormly.  He  had  suc- 
ceeded in  everything  beyond  his  own  or  anyone's 
wildest  dreams.  No  one  had  dreamed  any 
dreams  for  him, —  each  one  must  do  that  for 
himself, —  but  the  speech  is  figurative  and  con- 
veys the  meaning. 

He  was  a  modest,  quiet  man,  not  given  to 
blowing  his  own  horn  —  except  in  so  far  as  the 
advertising  of  his  goods  might  be  so  considered  — 
and  minding  his  own  concerns  until  the  world  sud- 
denly woke  up  to  the  fact  that  it  harbored  a  colos- 
sus of  trade  on  its  surface,  and  New  York  realized 
that  his  name  was  George  Gormly. 

Keeping  out  of  the  hurry  and  flurry  of  Wall 
Street;  living  modestly  in  his  uptown  apartment; 
a  member  only  of  The  Bachelors,  a  very  quiet,  sub- 
dued, uninfluential,  but  extremely  comfortable 


32  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

club,  in  which  even  the  thought  of  woman  was 
tabooed,  it  was  said;  owning  neither  yachts,  nor 
horses,  nor  racing  machines;  keeping  sedulously 
out  of  the  papers,  save  by  way  of  business, — 
it  was  years  before  his  fortune  became  the  marvel 
of  the  sensational  press  and  the  subject  of  en- 
vious and  amazed  comment.  Indeed,  he  might 
have  gone  on  indefinitely  in  his  mercantile  opera- 
tions without  attracting  special  attention  to  him- 
self personally,  had  it  not  been  for  one  fact. 
That  momentous  happening  was  his  meeting  with 
Miss  Haldane. 

It  had  come  about  in  a  commonplace  way 
enough.  Miss  Haldane,  deeply  interested  in  so- 
cial settlement  work  and  being  brought  in  con- 
tact thereby  with  some  of  the  poorer  employees 
of  the  great  Gormly  establishment,  had  con- 
cluded to  call  on  the  proprietor  thereof  to  see  if 
she  could  not  induce  him  to  make  some  adequate 
contribution  to  the  work  she.  had  so  much  at 
heart.  Like  every  other  business  man  in  New 
York,  Gormly  was  overwhelmed  by  charitable  de- 
mands. His  business  was  one  thing;  his  charity 
another.  He  employed  a  special  secretary  to  look 
after  the  eleemosynary  end  of  his  affairs.  Upon 
this  astute  young  man  usually  devolved  the  busi- 
ness of  seeing,  hearing,  refusing,  or  granting  all 
such  requests,  whether  proffered  by  letter  or  in 
person. 

There  were  two  reasons  why  the  secretary  felt 
himself  unequal  to  deal  with  Miss  Haldane  and 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  MR.  GORMLY    33 

her  demands.  The  first  reason  was  Miss  Hal- 
dane herself.  She  was  a  member  of  the  oldest 
and  most  exclusive  circle  in  New  York  society. 
Her  family  was  one  of  the  richest  and  most  es- 
teemed in  that  hive  of  multi-millionaires,  would- 
be-sos,  also-rans,  and  other  people.  The  second 
was  the  magnitude  of  Miss  Haldane's  demand. 
She  wanted  something  like  a  million  dollars.  This 
amount  appalled  the  secretary.  It  amazed 
Gormly  too,  when  requests  and  requester  —  or 
should  I  say  requestress?  —  were  both  promptly 
referred  to  him. 

Miss  Haldane  was  wise  in  her  generation.  As 
she  lived  among,  so  also  she  dealt  in,  millions. 
She  realized  that  a  man  like  Gormly,  indeed  most 
men  if  they  had  the  power,  would  much  rather 
give  a  million  than  a  dime  to  an  undertaking  that 
appealed  to  them.  Still,  Gormly,  having  devoted 
his  attention  so  exclusively  to  his  business  hereto- 
fore, was  rather  staggered  by  the  magnitude  of 
the  amount.  He  would  have  been  more  staggered 
by  it,  had  he  been  less  so  by  Miss  Haldane  herself. 

A  man  whose  chief  business  it  is  to  adorn 
womankind  is  likely  to  take  notice  of  the  attire 
of  such  members  of  the  sex  as  he  may  meet.  To 
say  that  Gormly  could  not  have  told  what  Miss 
Haldane  had  on  at  any  time  during  the  interview 
or  after  she  left  is  to  convince  the  hearer  that 
there  must  have  been  adequate  cause  for  his 
oblivion.  The  truth  was  —  trite  though  the  say- 
ing —  that  Miss  Haldane  was  a  woman  who 


34  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

adorned  her  clothes  rather  than  the  reverse.  All 
you  got  from  her  was  an  impression,  an  impres- 
sion the  more  strong  because  of  absence  of  detail. 
She  was  a  woman,  and  must  have  worn  a  woman's 
frock  of  course;  but  what  it  was  or  how  it  was 
made  were  purely  immaterial  details. 

Miss  Haldane  had  beauty.  Thousands  of  peo- 
ple —  women,  that  is,  and  some  few  men  —  have 
that.  She  had  more;  she  had  presence  and  per- 
sonality. Hundreds  of  men,  and  some  few 
women,  have  these. 

Those  who  have  all  three  in  either  sex  are  rare 
and  come  to  view  infrequently.  Whether  it  was 
Miss  Haldane's  undoubted  beauty,  or  Miss  Hal- 
dane's exquisite  breeding  and  manner,  or  Miss 
Haldane's  force  of  character  and  determination, 
that  most  impressed  him,  or  whether  his  instant 
subjugation  was  due  to  the  influence  of  all  three, 
Gormly  could  not  tell. 

He  was  given  to  self  analysis,  as  lonely  people 
usually  are.  By  analyzing  himself  he  learned  to 
analyze  others.  Introspection  and  observation 
had  been  great  factors  in  his  success.  Here  again 
his  experience  was  at  fault;  for  Miss  Haldane 
defied  analysis,  as  the  breath  of  summer  com- 
pounded of  a  thousand  balmy  scents  cannot  be  re- 
solved into  its  elements,  save  by  the  hard  scientist 
who  is  insensible  to  its  fragrance.  Gormly  was 
a  scientist  in  his  business;  but  he  abandoned  his 
habit  in  the  presence  of  Miss  Haldane.  Before 
her  he  became  a  poet, —  without  of  course  doing 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  MR.  GORMLY     35 

anything  so  foolish  as  breaking  out  into  verse, — 
and  poets  never  analyze. 

He  actually  gave  her  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars  to  start  that  great  institution  for  young 
working  women  which  was  the  pride  of  her  heart, 
and  he  promised  her  that  as  the  work  developed, 
as  he  had  no  doubt  it  would  develop  on  the  foun- 
dations she  was  planning,  he  would  follow  up  the 
first  gift  by  others  even  larger.  He  told  her  that 
he  was  willing  to  devote  a  million  or  perhaps  more 
to  the  enterprise,  if  it  proved  worth  while,  espe- 
cially as  so  many  of  his  own  employees  would  be 
benefited  by  it. 

Miss  Haldane  did  not  intend  to  live  in  the  social 
settlement  herself.  She  might  perhaps  have  en- 
joyed such  a  life;  but  her  social  duties  at  the  other 
end  of  society  were  of  so  exacting  a  character, 
and  her  family  were  so  opposed  to  her  undertaking 
such  work,  that  she  contented  herself  with  further- 
ing from  afar  the  efforts  of  certain  of  her  college 
mates  in  that  direction. 

One  thing  possibly  that  induced  Gormly  to 
promise  this  great  sum  of  money,  which  he  could 
very  well  spare,  was  the  knowledge  imparted  to 
him  by  Miss  Haldane  that  she  herself,  through  her 
father  and  friends,  would  give  a  like  amount. 

Gormly  had  exacted  a  pledge  from  the  young 
woman  that  she  would  not  betray  him  as  a  bene- 
factor in  her  institution.  With  a  fine  appreciation 
of  the  beauty  of  the  anonymous  in  charity,  she 
promised  not  to  let  the  right  hand  know  what 


36  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

the  left  had  done.  This  association  with  Miss 
Haldane  in  a  secret,  which  seemed  to  bind  them 
together  in  a  peculiarly  close  and  intimate  way, 
was  a  delight  to  Gormly;  though  not  until  he  had 
examined  the  situation  carefully  in  cooler  mo- 
ments did  he  realize  what  its  possibilities  were. 
He  had  actually  made  out  the  check  to  her  for  the 
amount  in  question  and  turned  it  over  without 
hesitation  after  an  interview  lasting  less  than  half 
an  hour,  in  which  Miss  Haldane  had  set  forth  her 
plans,  her  hopes,  and  her  ambitions  with  all  her 
charm  of  manner.  He  was  not  certain  that  he 
could  have  refused  her  the  store  if  she  had  de- 
manded it  I 

When  Miss  Haldane  left  his  business  office, 
check  in  hand,  she  felt  that  she  had  indeed  ac- 
complished much ;  done  "  a  good  day's  work," 
she  would  have  phrased  it  if  she  had  ever 
descended  to  the  vernacular.  She  was  quite  satis- 
fied with  herself. 

Gormly  was  equally  satisfied  with  himself. 
Then  and  there  he  determined  to  marry  Miss  Hal- 
dane. It  takes  the  cool  headed,  prudent  man  of 
business  to  make  the  most  extraordinary  plunges 
into  wild  endeavors  at  times.  The  very  audacity, 
not  to  say  impudence,  of  his  design  fascinated  him. 

His  determination  introduced  him  to  a  train  of 
thought  and  precipitated  him  into  a  series  of  ac- 
tions entirely  different  from  the  steady,  if  brilliant, 
operations  of  his  business  career.  He  felt  as  a 
man  with  the  Wall  Street  germ  in  his  blood  might 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  MR.  GORMLY     37 

feel  who  was  suddenly,  after  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury of  restraint,  launched  on  the  sea  of  specula- 
tion. What  Gormly  determined  was  usually 
brought  about  sooner  or  later.  In  this  instance, 
however,  there  was  no  assurance  of  success. 
Matrimony  is  theoretically  regarded  as  a  contract 
between  two  equals  into  which  neither  enters  upon 
constraint.  That  was  Gormly's  view  of  it.  He 
could  buy  and  sell  merchandise.  He  would  not 
buy  or  sell  a  woman.  The  old  chivalry  toward  a 
woman  was  there  still  untainted  by  years  of  trade. 
Miss  Haldane  would  have  to  be  a  party  to  any  al- 
liance. Whether  or  not  her  views  could  be 
brought  to  correspond  with  his  as  to  the  de- 
sirability and  propriety  of  such  a  union,  was  a 
question  no  one  could  solve. 

Nor  had  George  Gormly  any  particular  knowl- 
edge to  enable  him  to  play  the  game  he  had  en- 
tered upon  with  such  impetuous  indiscretion.  He 
could  hand  out  a  million  dollars  or  so  on  occasion 
without  feeling  it;  but  cynical  though  he  had  be- 
come about  womankind  in  general,  Gormly 
instinctively  realized  that  such  means  would 
be  entirely  inadequate  to  do  more  than  arrest 
temporary  attention  and  excite  a  passing  interest 
in  such  a  woman  as  Miss  Haldane.  Indeed,  too 
freely  resorted  to,  such  a  practice  would  inevitably 
disgust  her. 

He  had  enjoyed  no  experience  whatsoever  in 
social  matters.  He  had  no  entree  in  society, 
certainly  not  that  in  which  Miss  Haldane  moved. 


38  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Of  course  that  money  could  buy  entrance  any- 
where except  into  heaven, —  and  there  are  even 
those  who  say  that  admission  there  may  be 
achieved  by  a  golden  key !  —  he  knew,  and  he  be- 
lieved that  if  he  set  about  it  he  could  get  into  the 
most  exclusive  New  York  society  eventually  if  his 
funds  did  not  give  out  before  he  arrived.  But  he 
had  no  desire  to  win  Miss  Haldane  that  way.  If 
it  had  to  be,  of  course  he  would  do  it;  but  he  would 
leave  no  other  means  untried  first. 

Meanwhile  he  must  keep  in  touch  with  her. 
At  intervals,  therefore,  he  won  himself  a  sight 
of  her  and  maintained  a  speaking  acquaintance  by 
further  remittances  toward  her  project;  which  had 
already  started  with  a  tremendous  flourish  of 
trumpets  and  great  interest  on  the  part  of  the 
public. 

Miss  Haldane,  for  all  her  other  qualities,  was 
human  and  a  woman.  There  was  something 
rather  alluring  in  a  secret  even  to  her.  She  en- 
joyed being  the  means  of  disbursing  for  good  ends 
millions  that  remained  anonymous  to  the  general 
public.  She  was  quite  willing  to  call  at  Gormly's 
business  office  on  occasion  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
lieving him  of  further  donations.  Naturally  she 
confided  more  and  more  of  her  plans  and  some- 
times her  difficulties  to  the  same  astute  man.  She 
found  Gormly  remarkably  intelligent  on  such  mat- 
ters and  able  to  give  her  the  very  best  possible 
advice.  Sometimes  she  even  came  to  him  of  her 
own  motion  to  receive  something  else  than  signed 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  MR.  GORMLY     39 

bits  of  paper  good  at  the  bank,  and  to  discuss  vex- 
ing questions  and  problems  that  arose  from  time 
to  time.  She  grew  to  respect  him  and  then  to 
like  him.  Fortune  as  usual  favored  him. 

Miss  Haldane  had  even  suggested  that  Gormly 
come  to  her  upper  Fifth  Avenue  residence  to  con- 
sider certain  important  matters  connected  with  the 
magnificent  new  settlement  house  and  its  work; 
but  he  had  had  the  wit  to  refuse  such  an  invitation, 
—  though  he  longed  to  accept  it, —  because,  as  he 
pointed  out,  that  might  identify  him  publicly  with 
the  movement  and  would  be  fatal  to  his  desire  to 
be  unknown  —  and  because,  as  he  was  very  careful 
not  to  point  out,  that  might  disturb  the  growing 
intimacy  between  them. 

Miss  Haldane  was  twenty-two.  Naturally  she 
regarded  a  man  of  forty-four  as  a  possible  father, 
and  she  had  no  hesitation  in  approaching  Gormly 
with  much  more  familiarity  than  she  would  have 
dreamed  of  allowing  herself  had  he  been  younger. 
And  yet  Gormly  himself  was  a  young  looking  man 
for  forty-four.  He  was  still  as  tall  and  slender, 
not  to  say  spare,  as  he  had  been  when  a  boy.  He 
was  smooth  shaven,  and  the  flecks  of  gray  in  his 
blond  hair  were  scarcely  noticeable.  His  face, 
clean  cut,  rather  hard  and  firm,  still  looked  suffi- 
ciently youthful.  If  Miss  Haldane  had  ever  given 
thought  to  his  age,  she  would  have  supposed  him 
ten  years  younger  than  he  was;  that  is,  on  ap- 
pearance. When  she  thought  of  his  business,  she 
would  have  considered  him  sixty.  Ever  since  she 


4o 

could  remember,  she  had  dealt  at  the  great  shop, 
and  Gormly  himself  unconsciously  took  on  to  her 
the  aspect  of  ancient  history. 

So  the  little  affair  ran  on;  Gormly  consciously 
becoming  more  and  more  deeply  involved,  Miss 
Haldane  unconsciously  interweaving  herself  in  the 
same  tangled  web.  Therefore  Gormly  was  lonely, 
not  with  the  general  loneliness  of  the  unattached 
male  sex,  but  with  a  particular  loneliness  that 
spelled  "  Eleanor  Haldane." 


THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY 

THE  relationship  of  Miss  Haldane  and  Gormly 
was  all  very  well  so  far  as  it  went,  but  it  did 
not  go  far  enough  for  the  man's  purpose  at  least; 
and  Gormly  was  shrewd  enough  to  see  that  things 
might  run  on  without  any  definite  results  in  this 
way  forever,  or  so  long  as  Miss  Haldane  was  in- 
terested in  her  work  and  so  long  as  he  was  able 
to  contribute  money  and  advice  to  its  furtherance. 
Something  else  had  to  be  thought  of  if  he  was  to 
bring  about  his  cherished  desire. 

Since  the  beginning  of  the  acquaintance  Gormly 
had  kept  track  of  Miss  Haldane  through  a  clip- 
ping bureau  1  —  instance  of  his  practical  common- 
sense  which  may  amuse  the  romantic  reader.  He 
had  neither  the  time  nor  the  inclination  to  search 
the  journals  in  which  were  chronicled  the  doings 
of  social  New  York  —  in  which  the  Haldane 
name  was  prominent;  so  he  instructed  his  private 
secretary,  Chaloner,  upon  whose  discretion  he 
could  rely,  to  have  sent  to  him  at  his  private  ad- 
dress all  clippings  relating  to  Miss  Haldane. 
These  Chaloner,  much  marveling  in  spite  of  his  cir- 
cumspection, carefully  tabulated,  arranged,  pasted 
in  a  scrapbook,  and  submitted  to  his  employer  daily. 

41 


42  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Gormly,  therefore,  knew  the  life  of  the  object 
of  his  attention  as  well  as  it  could  be  known  from 
its  outward  and  visible  presentation  before  the 
public.  Indeed,  there  was  little  that  was  con- 
cealable  under  such  circumstances, —  the  higher  you 
rise  the  less  privacy  you  have,  obscurity  being  the 
prerogative,  or  the  penalty,  of  the  humble, —  so 
that  he  was  entirely  aware  of  Miss  Haldane's 
goings  and  comings,  who  her  friends  were,  what 
houses  she  visited,  what  diversions  she  affected, 
who  paid  her  attention,  and  so  on. 

Miss  Haldane  was  a  marked  woman,  not  only 
because  of  her  wealth  and  station,  but  because  of 
her  known  interest  in  settlement  and  philanthropic 
work,  which  he  himself  so  furthered.  And  for 
these  reasons  she  got  unusual  space.  She  had 
been  pictured  a  number  of  times  in  the  papers,  not 
from  her  desires,  but  because  it  was  a  sort  of 
tyranny  the  public  had  exacted  to  which  every- 
body more  or  less  has  to  submit.  In  his  own 
private  room,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  Somes 
his  English!  valet  —  Gormly  did  allow  himself 
some  luxuries,  it  may  be  seen, —  he  had  col- 
lected all  the  photographs  of  Miss  Haldane  that 
he  could  obtain  by  bribery  and  corruption  or  other 
means.  They  were  exquisitely  framed  —  Gormly 
was  a  man  of  great  natural  taste,  else  he  would 
not  have  succeeded  in  his  business  —  and  placed 
in  conspicuous  positions.  Wherever  his  glance 
fell,  there  was  she. 

Meanwhile  the  man  did  not  neglect  his  business, 


THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY      43 

—  nothing  would  ever  make  him  do  that, —  but 
he  divided  his  time  between  it  and  the  young 
woman  —  which  was  a  great  concession  to  her  in- 
fluence. One  reason  why  he  had  become  such  an 
assiduous  student  of  the  clippings  was  because  he 
wanted  to  know  whether  Miss  Haldane  was,  or 
was  likely  to  be,  engaged  to  be  married.  His 
apprehensions  on  that  score  were  soon  set  at  rest. 
It  was  Miss  Haldane's  second  season.  She  had 
created  an  instant  furor  when  she  had  been 
launched  in  society  the  year  before.  The  usual 
contingent  of  impecunious  foreigners  had 
promptly  laid  their  coronets  at  her  feet;  but  it 
was  quite  evident  that  none  of  them  had  found 
favor  in  her  eyes,  and  that  she  was  still  free. 
A  new  batch  of  the  nobility  and  gentry  of  the 
Old  World  was  even  now  laying  siege  to  this 
daughter  of  the  New.  Count  That,  Baron  This, 
Duke  So-and-So,  were  very  much  in  evidence;  but 
nothing  appeared  to  be  coming  of  it.  The  field 
was  still  open  to  any  comer.  He  would  enter  it, 
he  decided;  but  how? 

First  of  all,  something  must  be  done  to  bring 
Gormly  himself  into  the  public  eye  in  some  other 
capacity,  some  higher  capacity,  some  more  attract- 
ive capacity,  than  that  of  a  mere  retailer  of  rib- 
bons so  to  speak;  the  public  eye  for  Gormly  be- 
ing Miss  Haldane's  liquid  orbs.  And  Gormly 
knew  that  the  way  to  private  consideration  is  more 
often  than  not  through  public  interest.  He  had 
to  do  something  to  justify  himself,  therefore;  to 


44  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

make  himself  known  in  some  enviable  way;  to 
fix  her  attention  upon  him;  to  cause  her  to  think 
of  him  with  admiration  for  the  exhibition  of  other 
qualities  than  the  mere  ability  to  make,  and  in  a 
large  way  to  spend  money ;  in  short,  he  determined 
to  make  himself  worthy  of  her.  And  again  the 
question  arose;  but  how? 

He  had  thought  vaguely  of  the  racing  game, 
of  the  most  magnificent  of  yachts,  of  the  finest 
and  speediest  of  stables,  of  the  fastest  string  of 
automobiles,  of  a  thousand  similar  things  which 
he  had  dismissed  as  unworthy  of  his  high  purpose 
and  inadequate  to  his  end;  until  finally,  fortune 
favoring  him,  he  hit  upon  the  field  of  politics. 
Miss  Haldane  in  some  of  those  now  rather  fre- 
quent conferences  had  casually  enough  remarked 
that  she  liked  men  who  did  things,  who  really  ac- 
complished something  for  good  in  this  world. 

How  frequently  we  are  undone  or  made  by  our 
casual  remarks!  How  much  more  they  some 
times  bring  about  than  our  more  carefully  studied 
utterances!  Is  it  because  in  the  casual  is  more 
apt  to  be  found  the  natural? 

Gormly  instantly  resolved  to  do  something. 
Now  if  any  man  really  wants  to  accomplish  good 
in  this  world,  there  are  few  opportunities  of  greater 
possibilities  than  those  presented  in  the  political 
arena.  There  is  also  no  field  in  which  it  is  harder 
to  accomplish  the  end.  Gormly  as  a  political  force 
was  entirely  unknown.  He  was  as  latent  as  he 
had  been  in  the  merchandising  line  twenty-five  years 


THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY    45 

before.  He  was  without  experience.  While  he 
had  a  talent  for  management,  he  did  not  know 
whether  it  extended  to  political  management  or  not. 
One  requisite,  popularly  considered  vital,  he  had, 
and,  that  was  an  abundance  of  money.  Another 
requisite  he  possessed  albeit  unwittingly,  was 
character.  And  still  a  third  was  his,  and  that  was 
imagination  coupled  with  capacity  —  the  ideal  and 
the  real ;  the  dreamer  and  the  practical  man  in  one  ! 
An  irresistible  combination  that! 

Fortune  was  further  kind  to  him,  however, 
for  concurrently  with  his  decision  she  presented 
him  with  an  opening.  How  oftentimes  ability 
lacks  opportunity,  even  opportunity  to  make  op- 
portunity! Gormly's  business  was  sufficiently 
great  to  have  enabled  him  to  extend  it  in  several  di- 
rections. He  was  one  of  the  heaviest  importers  in 
New  York.  He  brought  Ireland,  England,  France, 
Germany,  Holland,  Spain,  Italy,  and  the  Orient  into 
New  York  Bay  and  unloaded  them  in  his  great  insti- 
tution. He  had  conceived,  some  dozen  years  before 
after  paying  tremendous  freight  charges,  the  pro- 
priety of  establishing  his  own  line  of  freight 
steamers.  It  had  amused  him  to  combine  the 
practice  of  the  ancient  merchant  prince  with  the 
customs  of  the  modern  one.  He  had  bought  the 
controlling  interest  in  a  freight  line  of  half  a  dozen 
large  steamers,  which  he  found  no  difficulty  in  us- 
ing as  cargo  carriers  for  other  people  when  they 
were  not  supplying  his  own  needs. 

The  purchase  of  the  freight  line  had  carried 


46  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

with  it  a  lease  of  one  of  the  piers  in  the  North 
River.  The  lease  had  run  out  the  year  before. 
He  had  thereafter  availed  himself  of  what  he  con- 
ceived to  be  an  excellent  opportunity  of  subleas- 
ing another  pier  in  the  East  River.  The  city  had 
just  completed  an  elaborate  railroad,  surface  and 
subway,  for  the  transportation  of  heavy  freight 
from  the  waterfront  to  the  great  mercantile  estab- 
lishments inland.  This  system  had  been  leased 
to  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company,  a  vast 
corporation  with  a  full  set  of  ostensible  promot- 
ers and  directors,  but  which  had  back  of  it  powers 
and  persons  unknown  to  the  general  public,  care- 
fully concealed  from  it  in  fact. 

The  corporation  had  not  been  formed  to  pro- 
mote the  health  of  its  members.  Therefore  when 
Gormly  applied  to  the  authorities  for  permission 
to  construct  a  switch  from  his  pier  on  the  one 
hand  and  his  warehouse  near  the  river  front  on 
the  other  to  connect  both  with  this  subway,  the 
permission  was  instantly  granted,  but  coupled  with 
an  expense  demand  upon  him  for  something  like 
a  million  dollars. 

Gormly  could  give  Miss  Haldane  a  million  dol- 
lars to  play  with ;  he  would  not  spend  ten  cents  for 
bribery.  "  Millions  for  love,  not  a  cent  for  trib- 
ute," might  have  been  his  paraphrase  of  an  an- 
cient, popular  and  probably  apocryphal  American- 
ism. He  saw  instantly  that  the  demand  upon  him 
was  a  mere  attempt  to  hold  him  up.  To  build 
the  switch  would  cost  perhaps  forty  or  fifty  thou- 


THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY    47 

sand  dollars ;  the  privilege  might  be  worth  as  much 
more ;  but  inasmuch  as  no  streets  were  crossed,  no 
overhead  traffic  hindered,  he  was  doubtful  even 
as  to  that.  The  road  had  been  built  by  private 
capital  —  subscribed  by  the  people  —  on  a  public 
franchise.  The  interests  of  the  public  were  sup- 
posed to  be  paramount.  A  reasonable  return  upon 
their  investment  was  all  that  the  promoters  had 
a  right  to  expect. 

Gormly  had  consulted  his  attorneys,  had  ap- 
pealed to  the  city  council,  and  had  done  every- 
thing that  he  could  to  settle  the  matter  short  of 
publishing  the  whole  affair.  He  had  failed  ab- 
solutely everywhere.  The  members  of  the  trans- 
portation committee  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen 
were  very  sorry,  but  they  did  not  see  what  could 
be  done.  A  gentle  hint  that  Gormly  might  pre- 
fer to  indemnify  the  aldermen  for  their  trouble 
in  case  they  should  give  him  permission  was  met 
with  pained  silence  or  explosive  wrath.  It  was 
furthermore  pointed  out  to  him  that  the  board 
had  no  power,  the  rights  of  the  people  having  been 
vested  in  the  corporation  for  a  ninety-nine-year 
period.  It  was  too  bad  that  the  innocent  alder- 
men had  allowed  themselves  to  be  placed  in  such 
an  unfortunate  position;  but  so  it  was  —  and  there 
you  were.  There  was  no  help  for  the  matter,  and 
Gormly's  only  resource  was  to  pay  the  money, 
unless  he  wanted  to  unload  his  goods  into  truck 
wagons  and  vans  and  cart  them  all  over  the  city. 
Of  course  he  could  do  this;  but  it  would  be  much 


48  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

easier,  more  profitable  and  more  desirable  in  every- 
way if  he  had  the  right  to  run  cars  out  on  the 
pier  alongside  of  the  vessels  of  his  fleet  and  trans- 
port the  merchandise  in  bulk  in  that  way. 

He  was  in  a  very  desperate  situation.  Here 
he  was  saddled  with  a  twenty-five-year  lease  of 
one  of  the  most  expensive  piers  in  New  York ;  here 
he  had  a  great  warehouse  six  blocks  or  more  away 
from  the  pier;  here  he  had  also  a  vast  store  sev- 
eral miles  from  the  warehouse ;  here  was  a  railroad 
that  practically  connected  all  three,  provided  one 
or  two  little  spurs  or  switches  could  be  built  from 
pier  to  railroad,  and  from  warehouse  to  railroad. 
It  was  perhaps  the  one  mistake  that  he  had  made 
in  his  business  career  not  to  have  arranged  mat- 
ters before  all  this  came  to  a  climax.  We  all  make 
mistakes,  and  that  Gormly  made  only  one  is  re- 
markable. That  he  should  have  to  pay  as  heav- 
ily for  that  one  as  for  many  is  perhaps  even  less 
remarkable.  The  railroad  people  meant  to  make 
him  pay.  They  were  resolved  that  he  should;  he 
was  equally  determined  that  he  would  not. 

He  was  not  alone  in  his  position,  however;  for 
it  was  found  on  all  sides  —  he  discovered  it  by 
making  quiet  inquiries  —  that  other  shippers  and 
merchants  seeking  similar  privileges  were  being 
held  up  in  the  same  way.  The  road  had  proved 
enormously  expensive  to  build ;  the  stock  had  been 
watered  unmercifully;  it  would  afford  an  indiffer- 
ent return  upon  the  investment  unless  its  income 


THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY     49 

could  be  bolstered  up  in  this  way.  Contracts 
which  had  been  entered  into  for  the  construction  of 
switches  were  found  to  be  of  little  value;  means 
were  available  to  break  them  and  evade  them,  and 
the  whole  waterfront  of  New  York  found  itself 
practically  helpless  in  the  grasp  of  this  octopus  of 
a  corporation. 

There  had  been  no  clamor  in  the  papers  over 
this  matter,  it  being  the  habit  of  the  conservative 
business  man  to  work  quietly  so  long  as  he  could, 
to  agitate  nothing,  to  grin  and  bear  it  while  en- 
durance was  possible;  but  there  was  a  tremendous 
undercurrent  of  resentment  and  dissatisfaction,  and 
Gormly  thought  he  saw  an  opportunity  of  turning 
it  to  his  own  account.  To  expose  the  iniquitous 
methods  of  procedure  of  the  Gotham  Freight 
Traction  Company,  to  bring  about  its  ruin  or  its 
downfall  by  depriving  it  of  the  franchise  it  was 
abusing,  to  safeguard  the  people  in  their  rights  in 
any  further  grants,  was  certainly  an  object  suffi- 
ciently high  and  sufficiently  vast  to  attract  the  at- 
tention, and,  should  he  succeed,  to  awaken  the  ad- 
miration of  any  being.  Inasmuch  as  Miss  Hal- 
dane  was  deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the 
people  at  large  and  in  general,  nothing,  thought 
Gormly,  could  more  conduce  to  his  plans  than 
such  an  endeavor  on  his  part.  And  Gormly  him- 
self without  losing  sight  of  Miss  Haldane  began 
to  look  at  the  possibilities  from  a  high  and  noble 
point  of  view,  in  which  self  interest  took  a  sec- 


50  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

ondary  position.  He  was  still  the  soul  of  chiv- 
alry toward  a  woman  and  consequently  in  his  heart 
toward  the  world  as  well. 

Therefore,  late  in  November  he  came  boldly 
out  in  the  open,  and  over  his  own  name  vigorously 
attacked  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company. 
He  did  it  in  a  unique  way  too.  Instead  of  the 
full  page  advertisement  of  Gormly's  store  which 
appeared  simultaneously  in  all  the  great  dailies, 
there  was  presented  one  morning  in  clear,  direct, 
businesslike  English  a  statement  of  the  whole  sit- 
uation exactly  as  it  was.  There  were  no  threats, 
no  menaces,  no  intimations  of  any  future  plan  or 
purpose;  just  a  blunt  statement  of  facts  printed 
in  large  double-leaded  type,  and  signed  with  the 
familiar  facsimile  of  his  now  famous  autograph. 

The  thing  was  an  instant  sensation.  The  news- 
papers took  it  up.  They  were  not  loath  to  take 
up  the  cudgels  for  such  a  heavy  advertiser  as 
Gormly,  anyway.  Other  merchants,  freighters, 
and  shippers  were  interviewed,  and  a  case  was  in- 
stantly made  out  against  the  Gotham  Freight  Trac- 
tion Company  which  would  have  shaken  a  less 
ponderous,  less  thick  skinned,  less  indifferent  or- 
ganization to  pieces.  Even  the  authorities  were 
interviewed,  and  they  shed  hypocritical  tears  over 
the  unfortunate  trickery  by  which  the  public  had 
been  buncoed  out  of  its  legitimate  rights.  They 
beat  their  breasts  and  made  plaintive  confessions 
of  how  they  had  been  befooled  by  the  wily  cor- 


THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY     51 

porate  interests ;  but  they  took  occasion  at  the  same 
time  to  point  out  that  there  was  nothing  whatever 
to  be  done  about  it. 

The  party  in  power  was  one  that  had  long  domi- 
nated the  metropolis.  To  be  sure  it  gave  the 
metropolis  a  fairly  good  government;  but  the  peo- 
ple paid  over  and  over  again.  They  were  robbed 
shamelessly  right  and  left,  on  every  hand,  and 
while  something  was  tendered  them,  what  they  got 
was  no  quid  pro  quo  for  the  frightful  extravagance 
of  the  administration.  Graft  abounded  every- 
where. The  party  out  of  power,  which  had  been 
out  of  power  so  long  that  it  had  perforce  be- 
come virtuous,  did  not  hesitate  to  point  out  the 
dreadful  state  of  affairs  to  all  who  would  listen; 
but  its  efforts  had  so  far  been  unavailing,  and  the 
party  in  power  remained  there  doing  as  it  pleased, 
perhaps  remained  there  because  of  its  so  doing. 

Now  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company 
had  its  weak  point.  Things  that  depend  upon  the 
collusion  of  so  many  unscrupulous  men,  not  to  say 
villains,  usually  have  a  weak  point.  Acumen  in- 
tense is  used  to  cover  up  these  weak  points,  and 
defenses  are  thrown  about  them  as  far  as  possible. 
It  is  a  wise  man,  indeed  a  genius,  who  finds  out 
these  things  and  assails  the  organization  thereat. 
The  first  principle  of  good  soldiering  is  to  oppose 
to  your  adversary's  weak  point  your  own  strong- 
est. The  weak  point  in  the  enterprise  of  the  Goth- 
am Freight  Traction  Company  lay  in  a  certain 


52  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

link  vital  to  the  continuance  of  the  carefully  de- 
vised system :  the  franchise  of  which  was  about  to 
run  out. 

Under  ordinary  conditions  there  would  have 
been  no  difficulty  in  securing  on  mere  nominal 
terms  a  renewal  of  the  franchise  from  the  party  in 
power,  provided  undue  publicity  could  be  avoided. 
The  connecting  link  involved  was  a  short  one,  but 
absolutely  necessary.  Few  people  knew  that  the 
franchise  was  to  expire,  and  in  the  ordinary  course 
nothing  would  have  happened.  An  ordinance  re- 
newing it  would  have  been  slipped  through  the 
Board  of  Aldermen,  signed  by  the  Mayor,  and  that 
would  have  been  all. 

So  sure  did  the  company  feel  of  its  ground,  so 
confident  were  its  members  that  Gormly  and  his 
fellow  victims  would  see  the  necessity  of  paying 
without  delay,  that  they  had  never  contemplated 
this  publicity  and  never  imagined  they  would  have 
to  face  this  bitter  and  determined  attack  upon  their 
franchises  and  upon  their  methods.  They  knew, 
of  course,  that  they  held  the  aldermen  in  their 
hands ;  that  in  their  close  alliance  with  the  Sachem 
Society,  the  organization  that  ran  things,  they 
could  pass  anything  they  wanted  in  defiance  of  any 
public  sentiment  whatsoever;  but  it  would  be  un- 
fortunate to  be  compelled  to  resort  to  such  drastic 
methods  and  so  openly  to  defy  public  opinion  as 
would  be  involved  in  such  a  course. 

Gormly  had  made  one  blunder;  but  like  a  bril- 
liant soldier  he  had  succeeded  in  turning  it  to  his 


THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY     53 

advantage.  One  advertisement  was  succeeded  by 
another,  judiciously  intermingled  with  the  ordinary 
or  extraordinary  advertisements  of  the  bargains 
at  the  store,  in  which  with  a  brilliance  that  electri- 
fied the  public  and  even  surprised  Gormly  himself 
—  he  had  not  realized  his  great  capabilities  in  that 
line  —  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company 
was  made  the  subject  of  scathing  criticism  and 
bitter  attack  of  which  the  Sachem  Society  and  the 
party  in  power  came  in  for  a  large  share.  And 
men  everywhere  began  asking  what  was  to  be  done 
about  it. 

The  watchword  of  reform  is  "  What  is  going 
to  be  done  about  it?  "  not  "what  are  you  going 
to  do  about  it?" — that  is  the  contemptuous  as- 
surance of  the  unreformed!  —  but  when  one  man 
asks  that  question  so  persistently  that  others  get  to 
asking  it  too,  the  beginning  of  the  foundation  of 
the  reform  is  laid. 

In  previous  campaigns  the  party  out  of  power 
had  been  led  by  a  series  of  forlorn  hopes,  men  en- 
thusiastic in  their  devotion  to  the  cause  of  reform 
and  not  noted  for  much  of  anything  else.  The 
leaders  of  the  outs  took  notice  of  Gormly.  In- 
quiries began  to  be  made  about  him;  his  business 
methods  were  investigated ;  his  resources  were  dis- 
cussed; his  character  was  analyzed;  his  career  made 
the  subject  of  study.  He  was  interviewed.  He 
had  hitherto  resolutely  denied  himself  to  any  such 
seekers  after  opinions.  Now  he  was  found  to  be 
astonishingly  amenable  to  questions  on  certain 


54  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

lines.  From  being  merely  a  name  attached  to  a 
familiar  institution,  he  became  within  one  month 
one  of  the  great  personalities  of  New  York.  The 
situation  was  intoxicating.  He  kept  himself  well 
in  hand,  however,  and  with  unusual  caution  re- 
fused to  disclose  his  plans  or  commit  himself  to 
any  special  course  of  action.  Knowledge,  he  real- 
ized, was  power,  and  he  confined  himself  to  giving 
knowledge  of  the  situation  to  his  fellow  citizens, 
who  absorbed  it  greedily,  and  relishing  it  clamored 
for  more. 

Incidentally,  he  did  not  lose  in  the  estimation  of 
Miss  Haldane  by  this  exploitation  of  himself, 
which  he  had  so  cleverly  managed  that  no  one 
dreamed  it  was  due  to  his  own  motion.  Even  in 
those  exclusive  circles-  in  which  Miss  Haldane 
moved,  which  are  ordinarily  indifferent  to  any  hap- 
penings on  this  side  the  terrestrial  sphere,  some  ac- 
count of  Gormly  and  his  doings  penetrated.  That 
he  was  rich  and  a  bachelor  were  the  most  interest- 
ing facts  which  appealed  to  this  set.  Men  and 
women  there  began  to  inquire  as  to  who  he  was. 
It  was  Miss  Haldane's  privilege  and  pleasure  to 
enlighten  them  so  far  as  she  could,  without  be- 
traying the  nature  of  their  confidential  relations; 
and,  being  young  and  enthusiastic  and  something 
of  a  hero  worshiper,  some  of  the  now  enviable 
notoriety  of  Gormly  was  enjoyed  and  participated 
in  by  Miss  Haldane. 

There  were  several  papers  on  the  side  of  the 
administration,  which  were  owned  and  controlled 


THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY    55 

by  the  party  in  power,  that  would  have  been  glad 
indeed  to  have  discredited  Gormly;  but  the  closest 
scrutiny  revealed  nothing  in  his  life  that  could  be 
used  for  that  purpose.  Where  he  had  come  from 
was  not  known;  but  for  the  last  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury at  least  his  course  had  been  traced  with  con- 
siderable accuracy,  and  indeed  there  was  little  of  it 
that  was  not  discovered  and  disclosed  to  the  eager 
public.  Before  that,  however,  it  was  a  blank. 
Gormly  had  refused  again  and  again  to  discuss  his 
personal  affairs  or  career  in  any  way,  shape,  or 
form.  He  was  quite  willing  to  talk  about  the 
Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  or  any  mat- 
ter of  public  moment,  but  for  the  rest  he  was  un- 
shakably  silent.  His  early  past,  therefore,  was  a 
mystery;  but  as  the  interest  in  a  mystery  that  has 
no  special  bearing  upon  the  present,  that  persist- 
ently remains  unsolved,  soon  dies  out,  particularly 
where  there  is  recent  material  of  an  engrossing 
nature  at  hand  for  discussion,  so  Gormly's  begin- 
nings were  allowed  to  repose  in  that  oblivion 
whence  no  one  could  rescue  them. 

Then  Gormly  did  an  unusual  thing  for  him. 
He  purchased  a  country  place  on  Long  Island. 
It  came  to  him  as  a  great  bargain  and  was  alto- 
gether very  desirable  both  as  to  the  house  and  as 
to  the  grounds  in  which  it  stood.  This  received 
no  mention  in  the  public  press,  because  the  whole 
matter  had  been  handled  by  the  invaluable  Chal- 
oner,  and  Gormly's  name  had  not  appeared  at  all. 
The  place  was  desirable,  in  that  it  was  not  far  — 


56  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

five  or  six  miles  —  from  the  country  place  of  the 
Haldane  family.  It  was  bought  completely  fur- 
nished, and  the  staff  of  servants  previously  em- 
ployed was  retained. 

Gormly  knew  from  the  clipping  bureau  that  it 
was  the  custom  of  the  Haldanes  to  pass  the  Christ- 
mas holidays  at  their  country  place.  They  usually 
made  up  a  house  party  for  the  joyous  season,  which 
they  preferred,  through  one  of  the  freaks  of  fash- 
ion to  which  even  the  highest  social  set  is  sus- 
ceptible, to  spend  there  rather  than  in  their  town 
house.  He  had  seen  Miss  Haldane  rather  less 
frequently  of  late,  because  the  work  at  the  settle- 
ment house  was  now  so  far  advanced  that  it  was 
merely  a  matter  of  carrying  out  the  plans  decided 
upon  and  spending  the  money  so  generously  placed 
in  her  hands  by  him,  which  did  not  need  much  con- 
sultation. So,  on  the  vain  hope  that  chance  might 
throw  him  in  touch  with  her,  Gormly  decided  also 
to  occupy  for  the  Christmas  season  his  lonely  cot- 
tage —  it  was  called  a  cottage,  although  it  was 
more  like  a  baronial  mansion  than  anything  else  — 
on  the  Long  Island  shore. 

It  was  snowing  hard  the  evening  of  his  arrival 
the  day  before  Christmas,  and  Gormly  did  not  like 
snow.  He  had  bitter  memories  intermingled  with 
a  storm,  and  the  sight  of  the  white,  ice  covered, 
snow  clad  fields  filled  him  with  unpleasant  remin- 
iscences. 

Since  he  had  bought  the  estate  through  the 
faithful  Chaloner,  he  had  not  seen  it  himself. 


THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY      57 

Therefore,  after  the  excellent  dinner  which  had 
been  provided  by  his  new  chef  and  served  by  his 
new  butler,  he  determined  upon  a  careful  inspec- 
tion of  his  residence.  Bidding  one  of  the  serv- 
ants go  before  and  light  the  different  rooms,  ac- 
companied by  the  butler,  he  started  on  his  tour. 
They  had  advanced  as  far  as  the  library  when  the 
familiar  tinkle  of  the  telephone  made  them  pause. 

"  See  who  it  is,  Deals,"  said  the  master  of  the 
house. 

The  butler  placed  the  receiver  to  his  ear  and 
took  the  message. 

"  It's  from  the  keeper  of  the  lodge  gate,  sir," 
he  said,  turning  and  looking  toward  his  master. 
"  He  says  that  there's  a  party  down  there  stalled 
in  an  automobile.  They  can't  get  on  in  the  snow. 
They'd  like  to  come  up  to  the  house.  There  are 
ladies  in  the  party,  and  — " 

"  Tell  them  to  come  up  by  all  means  at  once," 
said  Gormly. 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir,"  returned  the  butler,  "  but 
you  know  it's  half  a  mile  by  the  road,  and  it'll  be 
terrible  walking  for  the  ladies  in  such  weather  as 
this." 

"  Quite  so,"  returned  Gormly.  "  What  does 
the  stable  afford?" 

"  There's  the  station  wagon  and  the  pair  that 
brought  you  over,  sir.  Those  are  all  that  are 
there." 

"  Yes,  I  remember.  That's  all  I  told  Chaloner 
to  send  down,  not  expecting  to  —  Well,  have 


58      THE  DEVOTION  OF  MR.  GORMLY 

that  hitched  up  and  telephone  them  that  a  convey- 
ance will  be  at  the  lodge  in  a  few  moments;  that 
I  should  be  glad  to  have  them  come  to  the  house 
at  once." 

After  the  message  was  transmitted,  another 
thought  occurred  to  Gormly. 

"  By  the  way,"  he  asked,  "  did  you  find  out  the 
names  of  the  people?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  the  butler,  "  it  was  Mr. 
Haldane  and  his  party." 

The  inspection  stopped  right  there.  Gormly 
had  no  interest  in  any  property  when  there  was  a 
possibility  of  meeting  Eleanor  Haldane.  He  had 
more  or  less  hated  automobiles  in  his  life;  now  he 
blessed  them.  That  one  should  break  down  be- 
fore his  door  and  precipitate  the  woman  he  loved 
into  his  arms,  as  it  were,  was  almost  too  much  to 
hope  for  from  fortune. 


CHAPTER  III 

SOCIETY  BURSTS  UPON  MR.  GORMLY 

T?NTER  at  last,  Miss  Haldane,  accompanied 
•*-'  by  her  father,  her  mother,  her  brother,  Miss 
Louise  Van  Vleck  Stewart  (one  of  her  intimate 
friends  and  a  possible  sister-in-law),  and  Dr.  War- 
ren Deveaux  (a  retired  physician,  an  old  bachelor, 
and  an  old  and  intimate  friend  of  the  family). 
The  newcomers  were  all  dressed  in  winter  automo- 
bile garments.  Livingstone  Haldane,  the  brother, 
who  had  been  riding  outside  with  the  chauffeur, 
was  covered  with  snow ;  the  others,  who  had  been 
safely  sheltered  in  the  big  limousine  body  of  the 
motor  car,  showed  no  evidence  of  the  winter  storm. 
It  was  young  Haldane  who  broke  the  somewhat 
awkward  pause  consequent  upon  their  entrance. 

"  Mr.  Goodrich,"  he  began,  unbuttoning  his 
coat  and  slipping  it  off  as  he  advanced. 

"  Your  pardon,  sir,"  said  Gormly,  "  but  Mr. 
Goodrich  is  no  longer  the  owner  of  this  place." 

"  Why,  Mr.  Gormly,"  burst  out  Miss  Haldane 
impetuously,  as  she  turned  at  his  voice  and  recog- 
nized him,  "  this  is  a  great  surprise !  We  didn't 
know  that  you  were  to  be  one  of  our  neighbors." 

She  had  been  in  the  background  and  had  not 
observed  their  host  until  she  heard  him  speak.  As 

59 


60  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

she  spoke,  she  stepped  forward  impulsively  with 
outstretched  hand. 

"  Eleanor,"  exclaimed  her  father  in  great  sur- 
prise, surveying  Gormly  as  he  spoke,  with  a  stare 
as  cold  as  the  winter  weather,  "  do  you  —  ah  — 
know  this  gentleman?  " 

"  Certainly  I  do,"  returned  the  girl.  "  It  is 
Mr.  George  Gormly  of  the  Gormly  store,  you 
know." 

"  Ah,  indeed,"  began  her  father. 

"  I  have  known  him  for  — "  she  paused  uncer- 
tainly. 

"  Seven  months  yesterday,  Miss  Haldane,"  an- 
swered Gormly,  who  was  nothing  if  not  accurate. 

''  We  have  —  er  —  bought  things  at  your  shop 
for  a  longer  time  than  that,  I  fancy,"  here  inter- 
posed Mrs.  Haldane  vaguely  with  an  air  of  great 
condescension. 

"  You  have  been  on  my  books,  madam,  as  one 
of  my  most  valued  customers  ever  since  I  moved 
to  Broadway  twenty-one  years  ago,"  returned 
Gormly,  who  was  by  no  means  ashamed  of  his 
business,  else  he  would  not  have  continued  in  it. 
He  was  keen  enough  to  see,  however,  the  estima- 
tion in  which  both  he  and  it  were  held  by  the 
mother  of  the  woman  that  he  loved. 

"  Yes,"  said  Haldane  at  this  juncture,  "  I  have 
been  making  out  checks  with  monotonous  regu- 
larity to  your  firm  ever  since." 

"  My  good  man  — "  began  Mrs.  Haldane  still 
somewhat  vaguely,  and  evidently  rather  at  a  loss 


SOCIETY  BURSTS  UPON  MR.  GORMLY      61 

how  to  place  this  irreproachably  clad  and  fine  ap- 
pearing gentleman  who  had  soiled  his  hands  with 
trade  and  yet  did  not  seem  to  be  at  all  embarrassed 
or  ashamed  of  it. 

"  Oh  come,  I  say  mother !  "  began  Livingstone 
Haldane. 

"  Mother !  "  exclaimed  the  daughter,  blushing 
with  vexation.  "  Mr.  Gormly,  forgive  me,  I  for- 
got that  you  did  not  know  my  family." 

"  I  have  seen  them  often  in  the  store,  Miss  Hal- 
dane, and  have  even  waited  upon  some  of  them  in 
other  days  myself,"  replied  Gormly,  quite  as  cold 
and  formal  in  his  manner  as  anyone  in  the  room. 

"  Nevertheless  I  want  the  pleasure  of  present- 
ing you  to  my  mother.  Mr.  George  Gormly, 
mother,  my  very  good  friend." 

Mrs.  Haldane  drew  herself  up.  Gormly  bowed 
himself  down  in  a  bow  most  carefully  calculated 
to  express  a  proper  degree  of  appreciation  of  the 
honor  and  nothing  more. 

"  My  friend,  Miss  Stewart;  my  father,  and  my 
brother,  Mr.  Livingstone  Haldane ;  Dr.  Deveaux." 

The  persons  mentioned  bowed  coolly,  except 
that  Livingstone  Haldane  infused  a  little  more  cor- 
diality in  his  recognition  than  the  others  did,  while 
Dr.  Deveaux  actually  stepped  forward  and  ex- 
tended his  hand. 

"  My  dear  sir,"  he  said  genially,  his  old  face 
beaming  with  good  nature  and  genuine  admira- 
tion, "  I  am  delighted  to  have  the  privilege  of 
shaking  you  by  the  hand.  Anybody  who  has  the 


62  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

courage  to  attack  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company  as  you  have  done  in  the  papers  may  be 
regarded  as  a  public  benefactor  whom  it  is  an 
honor  to  know." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Gormly,  grateful  for  this 
recognition. 

"  Sir,"  began  Haldane,  "  an  unfortunate  acci- 
dent to  our  machine  — " 

"  The  machine's  all  right,"  interposed  his  son, 
jealous  for  the  reputation  of  his  favorite  car;  "  no 
car  could  run  through  such  drifts  as  these." 

"  Quite  so,"  continued  his  father.  "  Has 
thrown  us  upon  your  hospitality.  I  did  not  know 
that  my  friend  Goodrich  had  sold  this  place, 
or—" 

"  Let  that  give  you  no  concern,  sir,"  answered 
Gormly,  "  I  pray  that  you  will  consider  the  place 
and  all  in  it  as  your  own.  I  beg  you  will  take  off 
your  wraps  and  make  yourselves  entirely  at  home." 

"  That's  very  handsome  of  you,  I  am  sure," 
continued  the  elder  Haldane,  slowly  removing  his 
coat;  "  but  my  own  place  lies  but  six  miles  beyond 
here,  and  if  you  will  permit  us  to  telephone  my 
stables,  I  think  we  shall  have  to  trouble  you  but 
very  little." 

"  The  telephone  is  in  the  library  yonder,  Mr. 
Haldane,  and  is  at  your  service  as  is  everything 
in  the  house.  I  regret  that  my  own  stables  are 
not  yet  furnished.  The  small  station  wagon  and 
pair  which  brought  you  up  are  the  only  horses  I 
have  on  the  place  just  now."". 


SOCIETY  BURSTS  UPON  MR.  GORMLY      63 

"  And  jolly  well  crowded  we  were !  "  said  young 
Haldane. 

"  Meanwhile,"  continued  Gormly,  "  may  I  ask 
have  you  had  dinner?  Can  I  offer  you  anything 
to  eat,  or — " 

"  We  thank  you,"  answered  Mrs.  Haldane, 
"  but  we  dined  at  the  Braddons  —  a  place  five  or 
six  miles  back  —  before  we  started." 

"  A  cup  of  tea  or  a  glass  of  wine  after  your  cold 
ride,  then  ?  "  said  Gormly. 

He  was  in  doubt  as  to  what  was  proper  under 
the  circumstances,  being  without  experience  to  meet 
such  conditions ;  but  he  was  very  anxious  indeed  to 
do  just  the  right  thing,  and  equally  anxious  also 
not  to  overdo  it. 

"  That  would  be  very  nice  indeed,"  said  Miss 
Haldane.  "  Louise,  aren't  you  simply  dying  for 
a  cup  of  tea?  " 

"  Perishing  for  lack  of  it,"  answered  Louise 
promptly. 

Gormly  summoned  the  butler,  gave  the  neces- 
sary directions,  showed  Haldane  where  the  tele- 
phone was,  invited  the  other  men  into  the  library 
also,  where  there  was  a  well  stocked  buffet  and 
excellent  cigars;  after  which  he  showed  the  women 
into  a  small  reception  room  on  the  other  side  of  the 
hall,  and  left  them  to  divest  themselves  of  their 
wraps. 

He  was  very  nervous  and  ill  at  ease;  but  no 
one  would  have  suspected  his  perturbation.  He 
was  glad  that  he  had  something  to  do;  thankful 


64  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

that  Goodrich's  corps  of  servants  appeared  equal 
to  the  emergency.  Indeed,  he  realized  that  he 
had  only  to  indicate  his  wish  to  have  it  carried  out 
properly.  Chaloner  had  made  all  necessary  ar- 
rangements, it  seemed.  He  resolved  to  raise  the 
young  man's  salary  on  the  spot.  He  appreciated 
efficiency,  and  was  accustomed  to  be  relieved  of 
details.  He  liked  to  give  orders,  to  plan  things 
largely,  and  then  leave  the  working  out  to  others. 

The  men  refreshed  themselves  according  to  their 
fancy  at  the  buffet,  lighted  their  cigars,  which,  as 
Chaloner  had  been  careful  to  send  a  supply  of 
Gormly's  favorite  and  private  brand,  they  found 
excellent,  while  Haldane  vainly  endeavored  to  get 
in  communication  with  his  own  house.  Such  was 
the  severity  of  the  storm  for  a  country  ill  prepared 
for  it,  however,  that  the  wires  were  broken  in  ev- 
ery direction.  Even  that  to  the  lodge  was  found 
to  be  out  of  order  at  last. 

Gormly  had  not  waited  in  the  library  to  hear 
the  result  of  the  telephoning.  As  soon  as  he  had 
the  men  comfortably  provided  for,  he  had  gone 
back  to  the  great  hall,  which  was  more  of  a  living 
room  than  anything  else.  There  was  a  huge  fire- 
place in  it  at  the  back  in  which  great  logs  cracked 
and  blazed  merrily.  The  first  of  the  women  of 
the  party  to  present  herself  was  Miss  Haldane. 
She  was  in  full  evening  dress.  Her  noble  head 
rose  grandly  from  her  exquisite  shoulders.  She 
had  taken  off  the  heavy  gloves  she  had  worn  with 
her  fur  coat,  and  her  beautiful  hands  and  arms 


SOCIETY  BURSTS  UPON  MR.  GORMLY      65 

were  quite  bare.  In  her  dark  hair  she  wore  a  dia- 
mond coronet.  Her  dress,  soft,  shimmering  stuff 
of  white,  trailed  behind  her.  She  looked  like  a 
queen  in  a  book  that  night. 

He  had  never  seen  her  except  in  the  quiet  con- 
ventionality of  a  street  dress.  He  had  imagined 
her  in  all  sorts  of  guises.  When  she  burst  upon 
him  that  way,  however,  the  sight  dazzled  him.  It 
was  so  far  beyond  any  dream  he  had  ever  indulged 
that  he  could  scarcely  comprehend  it.  Gormly 
had  faced  all  sorts  of  crises  in  his  long  business 
career,  and  though  he  never  boasted,  had  he  been 
given  to  the  habit,  he  would  have  said  that  nothing 
had  ever  caused  him  to  lose  his  presence  of  mind 
before;  but  the  sight  of  Miss  Haldane  struck  him 
speechless.  He  stopped  and  stared  at  her.  For 
once  his  iron  control  deserted  him.  There  was 
that  frank,  open  admiration  in  his  glance  of  which 
no  one  could  mistake  the  meaning.  The  blood 
flamed  in  her  clear,  pale  cheek  and  lent  the  final 
toujih  of  beauty  to  her  appearance.  She  moved 
uneasily  and  raised  her  hand.  Her  gesture  re- 
called Gormly  to  himself.  He  bowed  profoundly. 

"  You  must  pardon  my  surprise,"  he  said 
gravely,  "  I  have  never  seen  you  in  an  evening 
gown,  and  I  confess  my  imagination  unequal 
to—" 

"  Do  you  like  it?  "  said  the  girl  nervously. 

"  I  am  scarcely  conscious  of  it,  Miss  Haldane," 
he  returned  directly.  "  I  see  only  you." 

"  How  singularly  unobservant,"  she  said  lightly, 


66  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

recovering  her  equipoise,  "  for  a  man  whose  busi- 
ness it  is  to  buy  and  sell  such  things  not  to  notice 
them." 

"  In  your  presence  to-night,  Miss  Haldane, 
business  is  as  far  from  me  as  if  it  was  on  the  other 
side  of  the  world.  It  is  on  the  other  side  of  the 
world,"  he  continued  swiftly;  "  for  this  — "  and  if 
"  this"  did  not  mean  "  you,"  it  meant  nothing. 
His  glance  comprehended  her  gravely  — "  is  a  dif- 
ferent world  from  any  in  which  I  have  ever  moved, 
and  I  — " 

His  speech  was  broken  by  the  entrance  of  Mrs. 
Haldane  and  Miss  Stewart.  The  latter  was  a 
fragile,  graceful,  charming  girl,  who  would  have 
attracted  instant  attention  and  notice  anywhere,  ex- 
cept beside  her  regal  companion  and  friend.  Mrs. 
Haldane  was  a  not  unworthy  complement  to  the 
other  two.  She  still  preserved  her  face  and  bear- 
ing, and  had  hitherto  waged  a  more  or  less  suc- 
cessful war  against  the  great  American  tendency, 
on  the  distaff  side,  to  grow  too  fat.  These  two 
also  were  wearing  elaborate  dinner  gowns. 

"  I  hope,"  said  Gormly,  addressing  the  eldest  of 
the  three,  "  that  you  found  everything  that  you 
required,  madam?" 

"  Everything,  thank  you,  Mr.  Gormly." 

"  I  regret  that  this  is  a  bachelor  establishment, 
and  there  are  no  women  about  to  serve  you." 

"  Why,  it  is  almost  like  a  club,"  said  Miss  Stew- 
art. "  How  delightful  it  must  be,  Mr.  Gormly !  " 


SOCIETY  BURSTS  UPON  MR.  GORMLY     67 

"  I  never  realized,  Miss  Stewart,"  he  answered 
directly,  "  how  much  the  establishment  lacked  un- 
til now." 

"  Why,  you  can  pay  compliments  like  — "  burst 
out  the  girl  and  then  stopped.  She  had  intended 
to  say  "  like  a  gentleman,"  but  concluded  that  such 
a  remark  would  be  uncalled  for. 

"  It  is  forced  payment,"  said  Gormly  quickly, 
"  extorted  by  your  presence." 

"From  an  unwilling  source?"  interposed  Miss 
Haldane  laughingly. 

"  I  wish  all  my  debtors  were  as  anxious  to  settle 
as  I  am  to  pay  this  tribute,"  answered  Gormly 
smiling. 

At  this  moment  Haldane,  followed  by  the  two 
other  men,  came  in  from  the  library. 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  began  Haldane,  senior,  "  I  am 
unable  to  get  anybody  over  the  telephone." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  that.  I  suppose  that  the 
wires  are  down  on  account  of  the  storm." 

"  Exactly.  Meanwhile,  I  scarcely  know  what 
to  do.  Could  you  send  a  man  on  a  horse  over  to 
my  place?  " 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  do  so,  did  I  possess  the 
horse." 

"  The  pair  that  brought  us  up  from  the  lodge  ?  " 

"  Neither  is  broken  to  saddle,  I  believe,  and  — 
but  I  can  send  a  man  over  on  foot.  I  have  no 
doubt  — " 

"  I  hardly  think  that  would  be  possible,"  inter- 


68  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

posed  Dr.  Deveaux.  "  I  should  not  like  to  be  re- 
sponsible for  any  man  on  foot  in  such  a  storm  as 
this." 

"  I'll  go  myself,"  said  Gormly  quickly. 

"  You,  Mr.  Gormly !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Hal- 
dane.  "  Why,  we  couldn't  think  of  such  a  thing. 
The  danger!  " 

"  Madam,  I  have  been  afoot  in  worse  storms 
than  this,"  he  answered,  "  when  I  was  a  mere  boy 
in  the  far  West." 

It  was  the  first  intimation  anybody  from  New 
York  had  had  as  to  any  period  of  Gormly's  life 
outside  of  New  York,  and  one  of  the  company  at 
least  pricked  up  his  ears  at  this  remark  and  listened 
attentively. 

"  We  couldn't  think  of  allowing  you  to  do  so," 
said  Miss  Haldane. 

"  I  suppose  that  pair  you  have  could  hardly  take 
us  over?  "  questioned  Livingstone  Haldane. 

"  I  am  afraid  not,"  answered  Gormly.  "  They 
have  been  driven  rather  hard  to-day,  and  they  are 
a  light  pair  at  best,  as  you  notice." 

"  Well,  we  are  thrust  upon  you,  then,  marooned 
as  it  were." 

"  I  hope  you  won't  find  my  house  the  typical 
desert  island,"  answered  Gormly,  smiling.  "  In- 
deed, I  scarcely  know  what  the  resources  of  the 
establishment  are,  having  entered  into  possession 
only  to-day;  but  whatever  they  are,  they  are  at 
your  service.  It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to 


SOCIETY  BURSTS  UPON  MR.  GORMLY     69 

have  you  pass  the  night  here.  I  have  no  doubt  we 
shall  be  able  to  make  you  comfortable  in  some  way, 
all  but  the  ladies." 

"  There's  no  help  for  it,  I  suppose,"  answered 
Haldane  somewhat  gloomily.  "  I  guess  you  will 
have  to  keep  us  until  morning." 

"  Don't  put  it  that  way,  I  beg  of  you." 

"  And  to-night  is  Christmas  Eve  too !  "  pouted 
Miss  Stewart. 

"  Think  how  happy  you  make  a  lonely  old  bach- 
elor," returned  Gormly,  "  by  being  his  Christmas 
guests.  And  if  you  will  accept  this  situation,  as 
indeed  I  fear  you  must,  I  shall  make  arrange- 
ments so  that  you  can  be  taken  to  your  own  place 
on  Christmas  morning.  Let  me  consult  my  butler, 
who  was  Mr.  Goodrich's  major  domo  before  I 
bought  the  place,  and  see  what  can  be  done." 

A  brief  conversation  with  that  functionary  threw 
some  little  cheer  ovet  the  situation.  Gormly's 
own  wardrobe,  which  had  been  sent  down,  would 
amply  supply  the  men  with  whatever  they  needed, 
and  the  butler  imparted  the  cheering  news  that  the 
lodgekeeper  was  a  married  man  with  two  grown 
daughters,  and  he  had  no  doubt  that  such  things  as 
the  women  required  might  be  secured  from  them. 

"  Send  at  once,"  said  Gormly  quickly,  "  and  ask 
Mrs.  Bullen  to  come  up  to  the  house  and  be  of 
what  service  she  can  to  the  ladies.  How  are  we 
off  for  bed-rooms?  " 

"  Plenty  of  them,  sir,  and  all  ready  for  guests. 


70  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Mr.  Goodrich  used  to  keep  the  house  always  in 
order.  He  liked  to  come  down  here  at  any  time, 
and  there  is  no  lack  of  anything  of  that  kind." 

"  Well,  see  that  they  are  prepared,  and  have 
Mrs.  Bullen  here  immediately." 

As  the  butler  went  off  to  attend  to  these  orders, 
Gormly  reentered  the  room,  and  found  the  whole 
party  comfortably  gathered  about  the  fire.  He 
explained  that  he  had  found  a  woman  on  the  place, 
the  lodgekeeper's  wife;  that  he  had  sent  the  station 
wagon  for  her;  and  that  she  would  be  present 
doubtless  within  a  half-hour  with  such  indispensa- 
ble articles  of  attire  as  might  serve  to  make  the 
women  guests  at  least  comfortable. 

"  If  you  were  only  in  communication  with  your 
shop,  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Mrs.  Haldane  —  and 
whether  she  meant  to  be  offensive  or  not,  Gormly 
could  not  tell, — "  we  would  lack  nothing." 

"  I  am  sorry  for  your  sake,  madam,  that  I  am 
not.  As  it  is,  we  shall  have  to  do  our  best  with 
the  limited  resources  at  hand." 

"  Oh,  we  shall  do  very  well,  I  am  sure,"  said 
Miss  Stewart.  "  It  is  really  quite  an  adventure. 
I'm  glad  it  happened." 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  Haldane,  melting  a  little, 
"  you  are  certainly  very  kind." 

Conversation  ran  on  desultorily  this  way  for  a 
short  time,  when  the  butler  announced  the  arrival 
of  Mrs.  Bullen.  As  he  did  so,  the  tall  clock  musi- 
cally chimed  out  the  hour  of  nine. 

"  Now  that  your  woman  is  here,  Mr.  Gormly," 


SOCIETY  BURSTS  UPON  MR.  GORMLY      71 

said  Mrs.  Haldane,  rising,  "  as  I  am  somewhat 
fatigued  from  the  ride  and  the  experience,  I  shall 
retire  to  my  room.  I  suppose  you  young  people 
won't  think  of  going  to  bed  at  this  unearthly 
hour?" 

"  No,  indeed,"  answered  Miss  Stewart.  "  I 
think  I'll  stay  awake  until  Christmas." 

"  Will  you  go,  Beekman?  "  said  Mrs.  Haldane, 
addressing  her  husband. 

"  Why  —  er  —  my  dear  — " 

"  I  was  about  to  propose  a  table  of  bridge,"  said 
Dr.  Deveaux?" 

"An  excellent  idea,"  returned  Haldane  quickly; 
"  but  there  are  six  of  us  here,  and  — " 

"  I  don't  play,"  said  Gormly  quickly. 

"  You  have  no  scruples  against  it,  I  pre- 
sume? " 

"  Oh,  none  whatever,  and  I  should  be  delighted 
to  watch  the  rest  of  you." 

"  I'll  stay  out  also,"  said  Eleanor.  "  I  don't 
care  much  for  bridge  at  best." 

"Heretic!"  cried  Miss  Stewart.  "Mr.  Hal- 
dane, shall  you  and  I  play  against  your  father  and 
Dr.  Deveaux?  " 

"  With  you,  Miss  Stewart,  I  would  play  against 
anybody  for  anything,"  answered  young  Haldane 
gallantly. 

"  It  is  settled  then." 

"  Good  night,"  said  Mrs.  Haldane,  moving 
away,  escorted  by  the  butler,  and  met  outside  pres- 
ently by  Mrs.  Bullen, 


72  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Mr.  Gormly  and  I  will  watch  your  game," 
said  Eleanor. 

"  By  the  way,  Eleanor,  may  I  ask  where  you 
met  Mr.  Gormly  ?  "  queried  her  father. 

"  He  is  very  much  interested  in  our  social  set- 
tlement work.  Many  of  his  employees  live  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  new  settlement  house  we  are  build- 
ing, and  I  have  had  occasion  to  consult  him  at  his 
office  a  great  many  times." 

"  Always  to  my  profit,"  said  Gormly. 

"  Ah,"  said  the  elder  man  reflectively,  wonder- 
ing how  much  might  be  behind  that  entirely  inno- 
cent statement. 

Meanwhile  a  footman  arranged  a  card  table,  at 
which  the  quartet  took  their  places  and  instantly 
became  absorbed  in  the  game.  Miss  Haldane 
manifested  no  special  interest  in  the  play,  and  at 
Gormly's  suggestion  she  left  the  hall  and  went 
with  him  into  the  inviting  little  library  through 
the  broad  open  doors  that  gave  access  to  it  from 
the  hall.  Another  fire  was  burning  there.  He 
drew  a  low  chair  before  it  in  which  she  sat  down. 
He  himself  stood  with  his  arm  resting  on  the  man- 
tel, looking  down  on  her.  He  needed  the  physical 
advantage  of  his  position  to  counterbalance  his 
sense  of  insufficiency,  and  besides  he  liked  to  see 
her  leaning  forward,  her  face  upturned  and  illu- 
minated by  the  flickering  firelight. 

The  two  were  in  plain  sight  from  the  bridge 
table;  but  as  they  talked  in  low  tones  their  con- 
versation was  inaudible  in  the  hall.  Haldane; 


SOCIETY  BURSTS  UPON  MR.  GORMLY      73 

glanced  curiously  and  uneasily  at  them  from  time 
to  time;  but  finally,  becoming  absorbed  in  his 
game,  paid  them  no  further  notice. 


CHAPTER  IV 

MISS  HALDANE  IS  CHARMED  AND  CHARMING 

"1VP*  GORMLY>"  beSan  Miss  Haldane,  "  I 
•*-•••  have  not  seen  you  for  some  time." 
"  Not  for  two  months  and  eleven  days,  Miss 
Haldane,"  answered  Gormly  quietly. 

"  Gracious  1  "  exclaimed  the  astonished  girl. 
"  How  pat  you  have  the  time !  Do  you  keep  a 
calendar  of  my  visits  to  your  office?  " 

"  I  have  a  marvelous  memory  for  details  which 
I  wish  to  remember,"  said  the  man. 

Indeed,  he  did  keep  a  calendar  so  far  as  Miss 
Haldane  was  concerned,  though  he  would  not  have 
her  know  that  just  then. 

"  Your  memory  must  be  wonderful  indeed." 
"  And  I  am  so  much  interested  in  —  the  settle- 
ment house  that  —  How  does  it  progress,  by  the 
way?  "  he  continued,  gravely  as  if  his  recollection 
of  anything  connected  with  her  was  a  mere  matter 
of  course. 

"  Oh,  beautifully.  You  see,  there  is  nothing  to 
consult  you  about  now.  It  is  all  in  the  architect's 
and  builders'  hands.  You  have  been  so  helpful  to 
me  I  really  don't  know  what  I  should  have  done 
without  you." 

"  And  you  have,  of  course,  respected  my  con- 
74 


MISS  HALDANE  IS  CHARMED  75 

fidence?  No  one  knows  anything  about  my  con- 
nection with  the  enterprise?  " 

"  No  one  at  all." 

"Not  even  your  father?" 

"  Certainly  not.  I  never  discuss  business  with 
my  father,  nor  does  he  discuss  business  with  me." 

"  And  yet,"  said  Gormly  quickly,  "  I  should 
think  he  might  discuss  business  with  you  to  advan- 
tage." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  the  girl. 

"  I  am  a  business  man,  Miss  Haldane,  accus- 
tomed to  deal  with  men  and  women  in  a  business 
way,  and  much  depends  upon  my  ability  to  esti- 
mate the  capacity  of  those  with  whom  I  work.  I 
have  not  often  seen  a  woman,  or  even  a  man,  with 
a  better  head  for  business  than  you  have." 

It  was  the  deftest  thing  the  man  could  have  said 
to  her.  Women,  she  knew,  were  not  naturally 
businesslike,  and  to  have  such  qualities  attributed 
to  her  was  the  subtlest  kind  of  flattery.  It  came, 
too,  from  a  man  who  was  a  power  in  the  business 
world,  and  was  therefore  the  more  valuable. 

"  It  is  very  good  of  you  to  say  that,"  said  the 
girl,  smiling  pleasantly  in  appreciation,  "  and  I 
am  more  proud  of  it  because  everybody  says  you 
are  such  a  fine  business  man  yourself." 

"  The  way  you  have  handled  this  settlement 
work,  the  businesslike  way  in  which  you  presented 
it  to  me,  the  flood  of  light  you  have  poured  on 
the  work  as  it  went  on  and  —  forgive  me  —  your 
quick  apprehension  of  the  suggestions  my  larger 


76  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

experience  has  enabled  me  to  make,  have  all  con- 
vinced me  of  the  truth  of  this.  You  are  indeed  a 
rare  young  woman,  Miss  Haldane." 

There  was  something  in  the  man  that  rather  dis- 
armed the  blunt  directness  of  the  statement,  she 
thought. 

"  I  should  like  to  do  something  really  worth 
while,"  said  the  girl  after  a  little  pause,  which  he 
had  sense  enough  not  to  break,  giving  his  words 
time  to  carry  their  due  weight  to  her.  "  I  like 
people  who  do  something  worth  while." 

"  So  do  I,"  said  the  man,  with  obvious  meaning. 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  she  exclaimed  impetuously, 
"  why  don't  you  do  something  worth  while?  " 

Gormly  smiled.  "  My  dear  young  lady,"  he 
answered  —  really,  he  was  old  enough  to  be  her 
father,  he  thought  half  sadly  as  he  noted  his  form 
of  speech, — "  I  have  the  largest  store  in  the  world. 
I  have  agents  in  every  civilized  country  and  many 
that  are  uncivilized.  I  own  and  control  a  fleet  of 
steamers.  I  have  my  private  woolen  mills,  and 
silk  mills  and  factories.  I  suppose  there  are  ten 
thousand  people  in  my  employ.  I  can  give  you 
a  check  for  another  million  for  your  settlement 
work  as  often  as  you  wish  it,  and  — " 

"  These  are  all  very  well,  Mr.  Gormly,"  said 
the  girl  gravely.  "  They  spell  tremendous  mate- 
rial success ;  they  show  your  ability  and  acumen ;  in 
the  eyes  of  the  world  they  count  for  a  great  deal, 
indeed,  I  find  lately  that  they  are  counting  more 
and  more;  but  they  don't  really  amount  to  any- 


MISS  HALDANE  IS  CHARMED  77 

thing  after  all.  What  is  money,  what  are  power 
and  influence  ?  My  father,  for  instance,  was  born 
with  more  than  he  could  possibly  spend,  more 
than  he  knew  what  to  do  with,  inherited  from 
thrifty  ancestors  who  had  the  wit  to  buy  land 
when  it  could  be  bought  for  a  song.  He  has  in- 
fluence, power.  What  does  it  amount  to?  I 
want  him  to  do  something,  really  to  do  something 
in  the  world  for  the  good  of  mankind.  I  am 
preaching  to  you  just  as  I  preach  to  him." 

"  Do  you  look  upon  me  as  you  would  a 
father?"  asked  Gormly  quickly. 

"  Why,  no,  not  exactly.  Certainly  not,"  an- 
swered the  girl. 

"  I  am  forty-four,  you  know." 

"  No,  I  didn't  know ;  but  what  if  you  are  ?  You 
are  still  a  young  man.  My  father  is  fifty-five, 
and  I  don't  call  him  old." 

"  Wonderful  consideration  from  twenty-two !  " 
said  Gormly  smiling. 

"  How  did  you  know  my  age,  Mr.  Gormly?" 
asked  the  girl  curiously  and  yet  somewhat  an- 
noyed. 

"  Miss  Haldane,  there  are  very  few  things 
which  can  be  known  about  you  that  I  don't  know." 

"  This  is  most  extraordinary,"  she  began. 

"  Extraordinary  that  I  should  have  taken  an 
interest  in  you,  and  should  have  found  out  in  per- 
fectly honorable  and  open  ways  what  I  could 
about  you,  what  all  your  friends  know  about 
you?" 


78 

"But  this  interest?" 

"  You  have  yet  to  fathom  my  interest  in  you." 

"  You  surprise  me,  Mr.  Gormly.  You  annoy 
me  a  little,  I  believe." 

"God  forbid!"  said  the  man. 

"  And  you  frighten  me  somewhat.  That  you 
should  have  concerned  yourself  so  — " 

"  Miss  Haldane,  look  at  it,  if  you  please,  from 
the  business  point  of  view;  my  standpoint,  as  you 
naturally  infer.  Would  I  trust  you  so  implicitly 
with  large  sums  of  money  if  I  did  not  know  some- 
thing about  you  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  said  the  girl,  vaguely  disappointed. 

"  Therefore,  you  may  look  at  my  interest  as 
precautionary  if  it  is  more  agreeable  to  you,"  an- 
swered the  other,  smiling  in  a  baffling  way.  "  But 
you  were  giving  me  some  advice?  " 

"Are  you  saying  that  sarcastically?" 

"  By  no  means.  I  was  never  more  anxious  to 
hear  anything  than  to  have  you  finish  what  you 
were  about  to  say." 

"  Well,"  resumed  the  girl,  "  I  was  saying  that 
you  ought  to  do  something  in  life.  I  don't  know 
what  talent  my  father  has.  As  I  told  you,  his 
money  came  to  him  without  any  effort  on  his  part." 

"  He  has  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the 
ablest  and  most  conservative  financiers  in  New 
York,"  answered  Gormly. 

"Yes;  but  whether  he  is  a  great  constructive 
force  or  not,  I  can't  tell.  Naturally  I  think  so." 

"  If  I  may  judge  from  the  qualities  exhibited 


MISS  HALDANE  IS  CHARMED  79 

by  the  one  member  of  his  family  I  know  best,  I 
should  say  yes,"  returned  the  man. 

"  But  there  is  no  doubt  about  you,"  said  the 
woman.  "  You  have  made  yourself.  You  started 
with  little  or  nothing,  if  I  may  believe  the  news- 
paper accounts  of  you." 

"  Have  you  been  reading  them?  " 

"  Every  word,"  answered  the  girl.  "  I  was 
quite  proud  of  being  able  to  say  to  my  friends  that 
I  knew  you  and  what  they  said  about  you  was 
true." 

Never  in  his  life  had  Gormly  been  happier  than 
at  this  frank,  spontaneous  expression  of  approval. 

'  You  ought  to  put  these  great  talents  of  yours 
at  the  service  of  your  fellow  men;  not  in  buying 
and  selling,  but  in  doing  something  for  them,"  she 
ran  on. 

"  Don't  you  think  that  in  selling  them  honest 
goods  at  a  fair  profit,  in  telling  them  the  strict  and 
only  truth  about  what  you  have  to  sell,  in  allowing 
them  the  utmost  freedom  of  return  and  exchange, 
in  providing  generously  for  employees,  is  doing 
service  to  your  fellow  men  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  it  is.  It  is  doing  service  to  the 
little  world  which  you  touch,  a  larger  world  per- 
haps than  most  of  us  can  touch.  But  I  want  you 
to  do  something,  I  want  every  man  and  every 
woman  who  has  the  ability  to  do  something,  in  a 
great,  splendid  way." 

"  But  what  would  you  have  me  do?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  the  girl.     "  I  don't 


8o  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

know  what  I  would  have  anybody  do;  but  there 
are  so  many  things  to  be  done,  so  many  wrongs  to 
be  righted,  so  many  causes  to  be  espoused  and 
advocated,  so  many  things  to  be  achieved.  The 
great  man  goes  out  and  makes  opportunities. 
Part  of  his  greatness,  I  take  it,  consists  in  seeing 
what  there  is  to  do.  Ruskin  says  somewhere  that 
the  greatest  thing  anybody  can  do  is  to  see  some- 
thing. If  I  were  a  great  woman,  I  could  answer 
your  question  better;  but  I  am  only — " 

"  I  think  you  are  a  great  woman,"  said  Gormly 
softly,  "  and  I  would  be  perfectly  willing  to  take 
your  answer  and  abide  by  it." 

"  I  would  not  have  it  that  way,"  answered  the 
girl  dreamily.  "  When  my  father  asks  me  what 
I  would  have  him  do,  I  say  to  him,  '  Go  and  see.' 
He  laughs  at  me ;  most  people  laugh  at  me.  You 
don't,  Mr.  Gormly." 

"Never!"  said  Gormly.  "And  I  confess  to 
you  that  of  late  I  have  had  similar  thoughts.  I 
want  to  do  something  for  humanity,"  he  went  on 
slowly.  "  For  seven  months  and  one  day  to  do 
something  great  and  splendid  has  been  my  aspira- 
tion." 

"Seven  months  and  one  day!"  exclaimed  the 
girl.  "  Why,  how  curious !  That's  the  time  that 
has  elapsed,  you  said,  since  you  —  I  — " 

"  The  very  time,  Miss  Haldane." 

"  I  don't  understand." 

"  It  is  easily  explained.  There  are  certain  peo- 
ple who  stimulate  us  to  achievement,  who  awaken 


MISS  HALDANE  IS  CHARMED  81 

our  ambition,  who  quicken  our  hope,  who  — 
Don't  you  comprehend?  You  have  put  some- 
thing into  my  life  which  it  lacked.  All  these  long 
years  I  see  now  that  I  have  been  preparing  or 
being  prepared  to  do  something.  I  needed  just 
the  fillip  to  the  imagination  which  you  gave  me. 
Now  I  want  to  do  something  for  —  you,  Miss 
Haldane." 

"Forme,  Mr.  Gorm'ly?" 

"  For  you  and  my  fellow  men ;  for  your  ap- 
proval and  theirs.  You  see  you  have  brought  me 
in  touch  with  a  state  of  being  of  which  I  knew 
little.  I  was  not  born  into  your  society.  Until 
I  saw  you,  I  had  no  desire  to  mingle  in  it.  If  I 
had  been  a  person  of  enough  consequence  before 
you  awakened  me  for  the  world  to  have  noticed, 
it  would  have  called  me  a  woman  hater.  Save  in 
a  business  way  among  my  employees  and  among 
people  to  whom  I  sell,  I  literally  and  actually 
knew  no  women.  I  have  not  taken  a  vacation, 
except  business  trips  abroad,  for  twenty-five  years. 
For  instance,  this  is  the  first  time  in  all  that  long 
period,  that  I  have  stood  alone  in  a  room  and 
talked  socially,  by  her  gracious  privilege,  on  terms 
of  outward  equality,  with  a  fine,  high  bred,  capa- 
ble, woman.  Can't  you  understand  how  you  exert 
a  new  influence,  how  you  have  brought  a  new  force 
into  my  life,  and  that  from  my  acquaintance  with 
you  results  are  certain  to  come?" 

He  sat  down  on  a  chair  on  the  other  side  of  the 
fireplace  as  he  spoke,  bringing  himself  on  a  level 


82  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

with  her.  She  looked  at  him  with  curious  in- 
tensity. His  face  was  averted  from  her;  he 
searched  the  depths  of  the  fire  with  his  direct, 
somewhat  fierce  gaze.  She  could  look  at  him  un- 
checked; she  could  study  him  as  she  had  never 
done  before.  In  his  turn  he  had  awakened  in  her 
an  interest  that  she  would  have  been  unable  to 
explain,  and  she  regarded  him  with  much  more 
than  the  casual  inspection  of  former  meetings. 

She  saw  his  smooth  shaven  face  seamed  and 
lined  with  thought  and  care.  She  marked  the 
strength,  the  intelligence,  the  resolution,  in  his 
countenance.  It  lacked  completing  touches  of  ten- 
derness, it  lacked  the  woman's  influence;  but  aside 
from  that  it  was  altogether  admirable,  virile,  and 
strong.  Nor  did  he  look  his  years  in  the  firelight. 
Her  father  had  been  red  faced,  white  mustached, 
and  white  haired  ever  since  she  could  remember 
him.  There  were  none  of  those  evidences  of  age 
and  high  living  in  this  man.  He  looked  master- 
ful, fit  for  command,  strong  for  great  enterprises. 
His  talents  were  wasted,  she  thought,  even  in 
operations  of  the  magnitude  which  he  had  spread 
before  her. 

"  I  want  to  do  something,"  he  said,  "  to  make 
me  worthy,"  his  voice  trembled,  "  the  respect  of," 
he  looked  at  her, — "  of  people  like  you,"  he  went 
on,  "  and  I  am  going  to  do  something  too." 

"  You  frighten  me,"  said  the  girl,  appalled  as 
we  often  are  by  the  granting  of  our  prayers,  the 


MISS  HALDANE  IS  CHARMED  83 

acceptance  of  our  suggestions,  the  realization  of 
our  hopes.  "  I  don't  like  to  feel  that  what  you 
are  doing  is  for  —  for — " 

"  Say  it,  Miss  Haldane.     For  you." 

"  I  can't  assume  such  a  responsibility,"  she  pro- 
tested; "  and  such  a  motive  is  not  the  highest,  the 
best." 

"  Nonsense !  "  said  the  man  almost  roughly. 
"  The  best  things  in  life  are  done  for  the  sake  of 
good  women,  and  there  is  not  a  human  being  in 
the  world  who  possesses  your  powers  and  capa- 
bilities who  does  not  thrill  to  responsibilities.  In 
your  heart  of  hearts  you  are  glad  —  or  you  will 
be  glad  if  through  your  inspiration  something  is 
accomplished,  by  whatever  force  or  means  it  may 
be, —  even  by  me, —  for  mankind." 

And  the  woman  knew  that  the  words  were  true. 
She  thrilled  even  then  to  the  strength  of  his  pro- 
testation. 

"  You  see  I  know  humanity.  I  don't  know 
society;  you  observed  that  by  my  awkward  recep- 
tion of  you  all  here  to-night." 

"  Indeed,"  said  the  girl,  "  it  was  most  graceful 
and  kindly  hospitality,  and  we  deeply  appreciate 
it." 

"  It  is  good  of  you  to  say  so.  These  things  I 
could  learn,"  he  hesitated,  "  if  I  had  some  one  who 
knew  to  teach  me;  but  other  things  I  know  myself. 
I  am  at  a  discount  with  women;  but  I  can  handle 
men  and  I  know  men.  Every  human  being  is 


84  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

glad  to  ally  himself  with  success.  If  you  and  I 
together  do  something,  you  will  be  happy  if  we 
succeed." 

"And  miserable  if  we  fail?"  queried  the  girl 
with  a  nervous  laugh. 

"  We  will  not  fail." 

"You  are  proposing  a  partnership?" 

"  There  is  a  quasi-partnership  existing  between 
us  now  in  the  settlement  house.  Your  devotion, 
your  generous  thought  for  those  people,  with  my 
business  back  of  you, —  for  it  is  back  of  you,  Miss 
Haldane,  in  that  or  anything  else  to  the  last  limit, 
—  is  going  to  produce  results  there  that  nobody 
dreams  of.  The  settlement  house  work  has  been 
tried  before;  but  never  as  it's  going  to  be  tried 
now.  I  have  been  down  there  again  and  again, 
partly  on  the  chance  of  seeing  you,  and  partly 
because  I  wanted  to  see  how  things  were  going 
and  what  you  had  been  doing,  and  I  tell  you  your 
plans  are  epoch  making.  They  are  going  to  be 
carried  out,  too." 

"Are  you  going  to  devote  yourself  to  that?" 

"  No,"  said  the  man  quickly.  "  I  have  some- 
thing higher  and  greater  in  view.  That's  your 
part  of  the  partnership;  mine  is  to  help  you, 
and—" 

"  And  what  are  you  going  to  do  ?  "  asked  the 
girl,  intensely  interested,  leaning  forward,  her 
breath  coming  quicker. 

"  I  am  going  to  be  Mayor  of  New  York,  for 
one  thing,  Miss  Haldane." 


MISS  HALDANE  IS  CHARMED  85 

"Yes.     And  then?" 

It  touched  him  immensely  to  see  the  matter  of 
fact  way  with  which  she  accepted  his  stupendous 
declaration. 

"  And  then,  I  am  going  to  be  the  best  Mayor 
New  York  ever  had,  an  honest  Mayor.  The  ad- 
ministration shall  be  conducted  on  business  lines, 
and  business  with  me  doesn't  spell  chicane.  There 
isn't  a  dishonest  dollar  in  my  fortune.  You  will 
forgive  my  personal  talk?  I  don't  often  resort 
to  it;  but  you  make  me  tell  you  whatever  you  want 
to  know." 

How  did  this  man  divine  that  these  things  were 
things  she  wanted  to  know?  thought  the  girl,  as 
she  nodded  gravely  to  him. 

11  Go  on !  " 

"  I  am  going  to  suppress  graft;  I  am  going  to 
break  up  the  gangs  that  rob  the  city;  I  am  going  to 
bring  the  traction  companies,  the  freight  and  the 
others,  to  terms.  I  am  going  to  make  them  give 
the  people  good  value  for  the  franchises  they  en- 
joy; I  am  going  to  reform  the  police  force  and 
stop  its  taking  toll  of  crime,  its  connivance  with 
sin  I  New  York  is  going  to  be  free,  and  I  am 
going  to  tell  it  the  truth  and  make  it  so !  " 

He  stopped  and,  not  trusting  himself  to  look  at 
her,  stared  into  the  fire  again.  There  was  a  long 
pause.  Who  was  it  that  had  said  of  old  "  Ye  shall 
know  the  truth  and  the  truth  shall  make  you 
free?"  The  woman  caught  herself  breathing 
deeply;  her  heart  was  beating  madly;  she  could 


86  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

scarcely  trust  herself  to  speak.     Finally  he  broke 
the  silence. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  flashing  a  direct  look  at  her, 
"  what  do  you  thing  of  it,  Miss  Haldane?  " 

"  It  is  the  greatest  dream  that  ever  entered  a 
human  brain,"  said  the  girl  quietly. 

"  It  is  my  business,  it  has  been  my  business  all 
my  life,  Miss  Haldane,  to  make  dreams  come  true, 
and  I  am  dreaming  now  a  greater  dream,  dearer  to 
me  than  that  I  have  outlined  before  you." 

What  could  he  mean?  She  strove  to  meet  his 
glance  fairly;  but  her  own  eyes  fell  before  his  own 
direct  gaze. 

"  Do  you  think  I  can  do  it,  make  my  dream 
come  true  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Which  dream,  Mr.  Gormly?" 

"  Both  of  them." 

"That  you  can  be  Mayor  of  New  York;  that 
you  can  redeem  the  city ;  that  you  can  restore  to  the 
people  their  liberties, —  I'  don't  know.  Other  men 
have  tried  it  and  have  failed." 

"  And  I  may  fail  too,"  answered  Gormly  very 
quietly.  "  Such  achievements  are  not  the  results 
merely  of  one  man's  efforts.  The  people  them- 
selves must  respond.  Whether  I  can  make  them 
do  that  or  not  will  determine  the  issue." 

"  I  think  you  can,  Mr.  Gormly.  You  have 
made  me  respond." 

"  And  will  you  help  me  ?  " 

"I!     What  can  I  do?" 

"Do  what  you  have  done  to-night;  listen  to 


MISS  HALDANE  IS  CHARMED  87 

me,  believe  in  me,  inspire  me,  be  my  silent  partner 
in  my  endeavor  as  I  have  been  yours  in  your  en- 
deavor." 

"  What  are  you  proposing  to  me?  " 

"  Nothing  now  but  what  I  say." 

"  And  after  you  have  succeeded?  " 

"That's  the  other  dream,  and  — " 

The  woman  stopped  him  with  a  gesture. 
What  could  she  say?  Questions  trembled  on  her 
lips;  thoughts  seethed  in  her  brain.  What  did  he 
mean?  What  could  he  mean?  What  wild  im- 
aginings filled  her  mind?  She  broke  the  thread 
violently. 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  she  said  resolutely,  "  if  you 
make  that  dream  come  true,  you  will  have  done 
more  service  to  humanity  than  has  ever  been  done 
by  a  citizen  of  this  republic,  and  you  will  be  the 
greatest  man  on  this  side  of  the  world." 

"  And  if  my  other  dream  comes  true,"  said 
Gormly,  "  I  will  be  the  happiest." 

"  May  they  all  come  true !  "  said  the  girl  im- 
pulsively rising  and  giving  him  her  hand. 

"  Do  you  mean  that?"  eagerly  asked  the  man, 
gratefully  taking  her  proffered  hand  in  his  own 
firm,  resolved  clasp. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  faltered,  "  what  your  other 
dream  is;  but  if  it  corresponds  with  the  one  you 
have  told  me,  I  repeat  the  prayer." 

"  At  the  proper  time,"  said  the  man,  "  you 
shall  know.  Meanwhile,  to-morrow  we  shall  get 
to  work." 


88  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  To-morrow  will  be  Christmas,"  said  the  girl, 
smiling. 

"  My  Christmas  present  to  you,  Miss  Haldane, 
will  be  the  beginning  of  the  campaign." 

"  And  mine  to  you,  Mr.  Gormly,"  she  returned 
laughing,  "  will  be  my  good  wishes  and  hearty  en- 
couragement in  your  labor." 

"  I  could  wish  nothing  better,"  he  went  on 
lightly,  glad  and  relieved  at  this  change  from  the 
intensity  of  the  interview.  "  I  shall  announce  my- 
self as  a  candidate  for  the  mayoralty  at  the  next 
election.  Representatives  of  the  minority  party 
have  already  approached  me  on  that  subject." 

"  And  what  did  you  say  to  them?  " 

"  Nothing  yet.  You  see  this  is  all  new  work  to 
me,  and  I  must  consider  my  way  carefully." 

"  Have  you  ever  made  a  public  speech?  " 

"  Never  in  my  life." 

"  Well,  if  you  can  talk  to  the  people  as  you  have 
talked  to  me  to-night,  I  am  sure  you  will  win." 

The  girl  said  it  artlessly,  carelessly;  but  his 
heart  leaped  to  the  assurance. 

"  That's  to  be  determined,"  he  said.  "  Most 
men  would  say  it  was  easier  to  talk  to  one  woman 
than  to  a  thousand  people.  I  have  had  experience 
with  neither.  As  I  told  you,  it  has  been  a  quarter 
of  a  century  since  I  talked  alone  with  a  woman." 

11  Was  that  in  the  West  of  which  you  spoke?  " 

The  man  looked  at  her  gravely. 

"  You  are  asking  me  a  question,  Miss  Haldane," 


MISS  HALDANE  IS  CHARMED  & 

he  said,  "  about  my  early  years,  and  all  the  re- 
porters in  New  York  have  failed  to  induce  me  to 
discuss  it." 

"  Forgive  me !  "  said  the  girl,  flushing  with  em- 
barrassment at  her  thoughtless  curiosity. 

"  I  am  glad  to  tell  you.     It  was  in  the  West." 

"  And  who  was  she  ?     Your  mother?  " 

"  My  mother  died  shortly  after  I  was  born,  and 
my  father  before  that.  I  have  had  to  shift  for 
myself  almost  from  the  time  I  could  walk." 

"  And  this  other  woman  with  whom  you 
talked  ?  "  she  persisted. 

Gormly  had  suddenly  become  very  pale. 

"  She  wasn't  a  good  woman,  Miss  Haldane," 
he  said  simply,  "  and  I  have  never  seen  her  since 
that  night." 

"  Didn't  you  know  that  she  was  not  a  good 
woman  ?  "  asked  the  girl. 

She  had  no  right  whatever  to  continue  this  con- 
versation; but  something  impelled  her.  He  had 
been  very  frank.  His  interest  in  her  was  now 
matched  by  hers  in  him. 

"  Not  at  that  time ;  I  did  not  suspect,  that  is,  I 
was  only  a  boy  of  nineteen." 

"  And  is  it  because  of  that  woman  that  you  have 
seen  no  others  until  I  met  you?  " 

"  Yes,  Miss  Haldane."   ' 

"  Poor  man !  "  said  the  girl  half  to  herself. 

"Not  at  all,"  answered  Gormly;  "you  were 
quite  worth  waiting  for." 


90  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Eleanor,"  said  her  father  at  this  moment, 
"  won't  you  take  my  hand  ?  I  want  to  talk  to 
our  host  a  little  myself." 

And  although  Eleanor,  as  she  had  said,  cared 
nothing  for  bridge,  the  interruption  at  that  juncture 
was  very  welcome  to  her. 


CHAPTER  V 

MR.    HALDANE   IS   GREATLY  SURPRISED 

"IV/TR.  HALDANE  was  in  something  of  a 
•L*-*-  quandary.  For  certain  reasons  and  for 
sometime  he  had  been  contemplating  ah  interview 
with  Gormly.  He  had  about  made  up  his  mind 
that  it  should  take  place  at  the  first  convenient  op- 
portunity he  could  contrive;  when  fortune  made 
further  arrangements  to  that  end  unnecessary  by 
putting  him  that  night  in  Gormly's  own  house. 
That  far  everything  was  simple  enough;  but  Hal- 
dane  was  by  no  means  relieved  of  his  problem 
thereby.  Not  only  did  he  greatly  desire  the  inter- 
view which  was  indeed  necessary,  almost  vital  in 
fact,  to  the  furtherance  of  certain  matters  in  which 
he  was  deeply  concerned,  but  he  did  not  desire  that 
his  interest,  personal  interest  that  is,  in  the  affair 
should  appear.  In  other  words  he  wanted  to  talk 
seriously  about  something  of  great  importance  to 
him  without  disclosing  that  the  matter  was  of  more 
than  passing  moment. 

The  opposition  had  greatly  underrated  the  char- 
acter and  ability  of  Gormly.  The  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company,  for  instance,  had 
pooh-poohed  him  at  first,  and  even  now,  though 
the  public  press  was  filled  with  accounts  of  him  and 


92  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

his  doings,  they  still  greatly  underestimated  his 
qualities.  Haldane  himself  had  joined  in  this  de- 
preciation until  he  had  met  Gormly.  He  had  as 
yet  enjoyed  no  opportunity  of  conversation  with 
him,  save  in  a  general  way,  as  has  been  seen; 
but  he  was  accustomed  to  deal  with  men,  and  he 
saw  instantly  that  he  was  face  to  face  with  a  per- 
sonality at  once  able,  courageous,  determined,  and 
strong. 

Whether  anything  could  be  done  with  him  by 
diplomacy  or  other  so  called  gentler  methods  was 
a  question  that  at  first  glance  appeared  susceptible 
only  of  a  negative  answer;  yet  Haldane  felt  it  in- 
cumbent upon  him  to  make  the  attempt  by  the 
use  of  what  he  called  conciliatory  measures  before 
precipitating  that  battle,  which,  if  George  Gormly 
was  the  man  Haldane  suspected  him  to  be,  would 
be  the  greatest  contest  that  had  ever  been  waged 
in  New  York.  Haldane  had  no  fears  for  the  ul- 
timate outcome  of  such  a  battle;  but  as  he  was  a 
wise  man  he  would  rather  avoid  it,  if  that  were  in 
any  way  possible,  than  provoke  it. 

Now  that  the  chance  for  speech  with  the  man 
had  arrived,  he  was  in  some  dubiety  as  to  how 
far  he  should  go.  This  very  hesitation  was  an 
evidence  of  the  impression  Gormly  had  made  upon 
him.  The  elder  man,  therefore,  had  no  very 
clearly  defined  plan  in  approaching  his  host.  The 
plans  that  he  had  made  being  conditioned  upon 
ignorance,  were  promptly  abandoned  on  acquain- 
tance and  inspection. 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED  93 

Behold  the  two  men  seated  on  either  side  of 
the  bright  fire  in  the  library,  Haldane  smoking 
one  of  Gormly's  excellent  Havanas;  glasses,  bot- 
tles, and  ice  on  a  little  table  at  hand.  From  the 
great  hall  beyond,  the  hum  of  desultory  conversa- 
tion from  the  bridge  players  who  were  not  es- 
pecially intent  upon  their  game  provided  a  pleas- 
ant background  for  conversation,  which  Haldane 
determined,  if  he  could  make  it  so,  would  be  an 
agreeable  one.  He  had  disapproved  of  Mrs.  Hal- 
dane's  manner,  not  because  he  thought  it  unsuited 
to  the  occasion,  but  on  account  of  the  peculiar 
qualities  and  characteristics  of  Gormly  and  the  re- 
lationship in  which  he  stood  to  certain  matters  of 
importance.  He  had  been  inclined  on  the  first 
entrance  to  follow  his  wife's  patronizing,  arrogant 
assumption  of  superiority;  but  now  he  strove  to 
infuse  all  the  geniality  and  cordiality  possible  into 
his  voice  and  manner. 

On  the  other  hand  Gormly  naturally  had  a  deep 
interest  in  Haldane.  As  the  father  of  the  woman 
he  loved,  he  would  necessarily  be  a  great  factor 
in  the  battle  he  meant  to  wage  for  her  hand.  His 
consent  and  influence,  while  not  absolutely  es- 
sential, would  naturally  be  of  great  value.  If  he 
could  by  any  means  win  the  support  and  counte- 
nance of  the  great  financier,  his  dream  would  be 
by  that  much  the  more  easy  of  realization.  He 
had  an  idea,  however,  that  this  would  be  impos- 
sible. That  did  not  daunt  him  or  render  him  the 
less  alert.  To  win  Haldane's  consent  possibly 


94  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

might  be  no  more  practicable  than  to  win  Miss 
Haldane's  consent.  Yet  Gormly  was  accustomed 
to  attempt  the  impossible,  and  nine  times  out  of 
ten  to  achieve  it.  That  Haldane  had  any  rela- 
tionship, or  could  have  any  relationship,  to  him 
other  than  that  of  a  prospective  father-in-law  never 
entered  his  head.  That  was  sufficient  to  render 
the  interview  memorable  to  him. 

Both  men,  therefore,  approached  it  casually; 
both  were  on  their  guard,  both  were  deeply  anxious 
to  make  no  mistake.  Haldane  as  the  older  and 
more  experienced  player,  was  the  more  composed. 
His  affectation  of  indifference  was  admirably  as- 
sumed, quite  in  keeping  with  his  character  and 
with  the  situation;  for,  as  Gormly  reasoned,  he 
could  not  be  expected  to  have  the  slightest  idea 
that  Gormly  considered  himself  a  suitor  for 
Eleanor  Haldane's  hand.  And  it  was  not  to  be 
supposed  that  Haldane  had  any  more  interest  in 
any  other  of  Gormly's  projects,  social,  mercantile, 
or  political.  Gormly,  on  the  other  hand,  was 
deeply  concerned  in  fathoming  the  elder  man,  and 
made  no  special  effort  to  disguise  that  fact.  His 
manner,  as  became  the  younger,  was  respectful 
without  being  in  the  least  degree  propitiatory  or 
submissive.  He  sat  forward  in  his  chair;  Hal- 
dane reclined  somewhat  languidly  in  his. 

The  conversation  began  with  a  remark  from 
the  older  man  about  the  weather.  I  have  long 
wondered  why  the  weather  is  the  staple  inaugural 
topic.  However  pugnacious  men  may  be  over 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED  95 

matters  of  pronunciation  and  principle,  the  general 
tendency  of  humanity  is  to  be  agreeable.  It  does 
not  make  any  difference  what  opinions  we  may 
hold  of  the  quality  or  character  of  the  weather, 
we  are  not  apt  to  hold  them  with  sufficient  determi- 
nation to  make  it  worth  while  to  quarrel  about  it. 
Go  out  in  the  midst  of  a  pouring  rain  and  tell 
the  first  man  you  meet  that  it  is  nice  weather, 
and  nine  times  out  of  ten  he  will  agree  with  you, 
although  he  may  think  it,  as  indeed  it  is,  detestable. 
It  is  a  safe  topic,  therefore,  for  introduction. 

"  I  have  rarely  experienced  so  severe  a  snow 
storm,"  said  Haldane  blandly.  "  I  have  been 
coming  down  to  Long  Island  in  winter  off  and  on 
ever  since  I  was  a  boy,  and  this  surpasses  anything 
within  my  knowledge." 

"  It  is  bad  enough  for  New  York,"  responded 
Gormly.  "  Here  when  the  temperature  gets  down 
to  the  zero  mark  and  the  wind  blows  thirty  or 
forty  miles  an  hour,  and  it  snows  hard  all  day,  we 
call  it  a  blizzard.  Most  people  welcome  this 
sort  of  snow  storm  because  of  the  mild  excitement 
of  the  situation,  and  the  Street  Cleaning  Depart- 
ment rejoices  at  the  opportunities  of  graft  pre- 
sented." 

At  that  last  remark,  though  Haldane  had  no 
ostensible  connection  with  the  street  department, 
or  any  other  department  of  the  municipal  adminis- 
tration in  fact,  the  man  slightly  lifted  his  head 
and  glanced  for  a  moment  with  deeper  interest 
at  his  companion. 


96  THE  RING  AND  THE 

"  I  take  it  from  your  allusion  that  you  have  ex- 
perienced worse  storms  than  this." 

"  I  have  been  in  real  blizzards,  Mr.  Haldane," 
answered  Gormly  quietly;  "  more  than  once  where 
the  wind's  velocity  was  scarcely  to  be  measured, 
where  the  temperature  was  from  twenty  to  thirty 
below,  where  the  sleet  needles  cut  like  whips,  and 
the  storm  had  full  sweep  unchecked  and  unbroken 
by  any  thing." 

"  Yours,  I  take  it,  has  been  an  adventurous  life 
then,  not  always  run  in  the  humdrum  ways  of  busi- 
ness." 

"  I  have  found  sufficient  excitement  in  building 
up  and  administering  my  business  to  satisfy,  I 
should  think,  the  most  red  blooded  and  ardent 
of  men." 

"  But  nothing  like  the  wild,  adventurous  free- 
dom of  those  earlier  years  to  which  you  have  al- 
luded in  —  er  — ' 

Haldane  paused  reflectively. 

"  In  other  sections  of  our  country,"  answered 
Gormly  nonchalantly.  "  However,  I  am  glad  of 
the  storm  in  this  instance,  since  it  has  enabled  me 
to  extend  to  you  and  your  party  the  shelter  of  my 
roof." 

'  That's  very  kind  of  you  indeed,  Mr.  Gormly, 
and  we  deeply  appreciate  it,  I  assure  you.  I  feel 
great  hesitation  in  trespassing  on  the  hospitality  of 
a  total  stranger  like  yourself,"  answered  Mr.  Hal- 
dane equably,  although  he  was  quite  aware  of  the 
check  he  had  received. 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED  97 

"  You  need  not,  sir,"  continued  the  other  with 
his  usual  directness.  "  I  have  been  acquainted  — 
I  have  had  the  privilege  of  knowing,  that  is  — 
your  daughter  for  some  time,  and  I  am  honored  in 
the  acquaintance  of  her  father  and  mother  and  your 
friends." 

"  You  say  you  have  known  my  daughter  for 
some  time?  " 

"  I  have  had  that  pleasure." 

"  If  I  mistake  not,  she  said  that  you  had  been 
interested  in  her  settlement  work.  Quixotic  im- 
aginations of  an  enthusiastic  girl,  my  dear  sir;  but 
I  humor  her." 

"  You  do  well,"  returned  the  other.  "  And  if 
you  will  give  me  leave  to  differ  with  you,  I  hardly 
call  it  quixotic.  I  have  examined  into  the  plan 
thoroughly.  I  suppose  your  daughter  sought  me 
at  first  because  so  many  of  my  own  employees  and 
their  friends  are  apt  to  benefit  largely  thereby. 
And  I  must  say  it  strikes  me  as  being  altogether 
admirable  as  well  as  entirely  feasible.  I  hope  and 
believe  it  will  succeed." 

"  Quite  so,"  returned  Haldane.  He  was  not  in 
the  least  interested  in  the  matter.  Although  he 
had  indulged  his  daughter's  whim,  as  he  described 
it,  by  a  magnificent  donation,  he  did  not  take 
the  thing  very  seriously.  He  realized,  however, 
that  it  would  be  wise  to  pretend  interest  that  he 
did  not  feel,  after  such  an  expression  on  the  part 
of  his  host.  "  Your  judgment  as  to  the  feasibility 
of  the  plan,  therefore,  I  consider  most  valuable, 


98  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

and  I  am  glad  it  has  your  approbation.  I  presume 
that  you  have  —  " 

"  I  have  assisted  Miss  Haldane  in  every  way  pos- 
sible," returned  Gormly,  who  did  not  propose  to 
be  questioned  as  to  the  details  of  his  relation  to 
the  scheme.  "  Of  course,"  he  went  on,  "  your 
own  reputation  as  a  financier  is  known  to  me  as  it 
is  to  all  of  New  York,  and  if  I  may  be  permitted 
to  say  so  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  a  large  part  of 
your  executive  ability,  not  to  say  genius,  has  des- 
cended to  your  daughter." 

"  Thank  you,"  was  the  answer.  "  Eleanor  is 
certainly  a  most  capable  young  woman." 

"  And  it  must  be  a  source  of  gratification  to  you 
that  she  chooses  to  exercise  her  capability  in  this 
direction  rather  than  in  the  vain  and  aimless  social 
avocations  of  a  large  and  influential  section  of 
our  so  called  best  people  in  the  city?" 

"  Certainly,  very  true.  But  frankly,  I  could 
wish  that  there  was  a  more  equable  division  of 
time  between  the  —  er  —  high  and  the  low,  so  to 
speak;  that  Eleanor  could  give  more  of  her  at- 
tention to  those  —  duties,  which  after  all,  my  dear 
Mr.  Gormly,  however  we  men  of  the  world  may 
deprecate  them,  go  to  make  up  so  large  a  part  of 
life,  and  leave  more  of  the  detail  work  of  this  in- 
stitution to  others." 

"  I  know  little  about  the  social  obligations  of 
the  world  to  which  you  refer.  It  has  not  been 
my  privilege  to  have  an  entrance  therein," 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED  99 

"  Merely  a  matter  of  choice  on  your  part,  I  am 
sure,"  murmured  Haldane  deprecatingly. 

"  Possibly,"  was  the  cool  reply.  "  I  have  not 
hitherto  been  greatly  interested  in  effecting  an  en- 
trance within  the  charmed  circle,  nor  am  I  especially 
now,  saving  your  presence  of  course  and  meaning 
not  the  slightest  offense  in  the  world." 

"  None  whatever  is  taken,  and  I  pray  you  to 
proceed.  You  interest  me  exceedingly." 

"  In  my  business,  Mr.  Haldane,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  the  experience  is  your  own,  I  have  found 
that  what  I  supervise  myself  is  well  done,  and 
what  I  delegate  to  others  is  frequently  ill  done, 
and  sometimes  not  done  at  all." 

'  The  remark  is  as  old  as  Ben  Franklin," 
laughed  Haldane,  "  and  the  principle  is  older 
still."  If  Haldane  had  been  familiar  with  Scrip- 
ture, he  might  have  gone  back  much  further  for 
exemplification.  "  But  surely,"  he  went  on,  "  in  a 
great  business  such  as  yours  is,  you  can't  attend  per- 
sonally to  every  detail  yourself." 

"  By  no  means,"  returned  the  other.  "  I  have 
succeeded  in  surrounding  myself  with  a  very  capa- 
ble corps  of  subordinates  —  perhaps  I  had  better 
call  them  assistants  —  who  have  been  tried  and 
tested,  and  upon  whom  I  have  devolved  responsi- 
bilities commensurate  with  their  capacities,  and 
from  whom  I  expect  results.  But  I  supervise 
every  department  of  the  business  myself.  I  am  in 
possession  of  frequent  reports  concerning  it  even 


ioo          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

in  its  details.  I  make  regular  and  rigid  inspec- 
tions. In  short,  so  far  as  one  man  can  do  so,  I 
have  it  all  in  my  own  hands,  certainly  in  my  own 
mind." 

"  My  own  practice,  Mr.  Gormly,  with  my  af- 
fairs, which  are  somewhat  large  and  extensive,  is 
similar  to  yours." 

"  I  take  it,  sir,"  was  the  answer,  "  that  we  are 
in  line  with  all  successful  men  in  that." 

It  irked  Haldane  a  little  to  be  so  calmly  included 
in  the  same  category  with  Gormly ;  for  he  had  never 
been  in  trade  and  had  acquired  much  of  the  Old 
World  prejudice  against  the  keeping  of  a  store. 
To  be  sure,  this  was  a  store  like  none  other  in  the 
world;  but  nevertheless  the  taint  of  barter  —  as 
the  others  would  have  phrased  it  —  accrued  to 
Gormly.  However,  it  was  not  worth  quarreling 
about.  Not  that  Haldane  had  the  slightest  ob- 
jections to  quarreling  with  Gormly;  on  the  con- 
trary, he  would  have  enjoyed  it  immensely,  and 
indeed  intended  in  one  way  or  another  to  do  that 
very  thing  before  he  got  through  with  him;  but 
it  would  be  bad  policy  to  do  it  without  more  prep- 
aration for  victory,  and  it  would  be  in  execrable 
taste  to  precipitate  antagonism  in  the  enjoyment 
of  his  hospitality.  Therefore  he  swallowed  his 
dislike  and  proceeded  as  follows: 

"  Even  the  best  of  subordinates  make  mistakes 
once  in  a  while." 

'  They  are  no  more  immune  from  that,"  was 
the  swift  rejoinder,  "  than  the  ablest  of  employers." 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED         101 

Haldane  laughed.  It  was  exceedingly  well 
done.  For  the  moment  it  even  deceived  his  acute 
companion.  He  spoke  with  an  air  of  the  utmost 
frankness. 

"  I  have  no  personal  concern,  of  course,  in  the 
matter,  but  I  have  been  greatly  interested  in  the 
remarkable  series  of  articles  that  have  appeared 
under  your  name.  I  assume  that  you  are  re- 
sponsible for  them." 

"  I  confess  that  I  wrote  every  one  of  them  with 
my  own  hand." 

"  They  do  you  great  credit,  I  am  sure.  I  have 
never  heard  more  vigorous  expressions  in  better 
English  than  those  I  have  read." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Gormly  gravely.  "  I  have 
tried  to  be  as  simple  and  direct  in  the  presentation 
of  facts  as  I  could.  I  imagine  it  is  the  significance 
of  the  fact  itself  that  so  deeply  impresses  you." 

"  It  may  be.  What  I  started  to  say  was  that  — 
and  you  will  permit  me,  for  you  yourself  have 
admitted  the  mistake  —  I  suppose  you  were  be- 
trayed into  this  unfortunate  position  through  some 
error  on  the  part  of  one  of  your  subordinates." 

"  No,"  said  Gormly,  who  was  nothing  if  npt 
honest, —  and  in  that  particular  he  had  vastly  the 
advantage  of  Haldane  in  the  little  duel  of  words 
proceeding,  if  he  had  known  it, —  "  that  was  a  mis- 
take of  my  own,  one  of  those  employer's  errors  to 
which  we  alluded  a  moment  since." 

"  It  is  like  to  cost  you  dear,  I  fancy,  before  you 
get  through." 


102  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Gormly  quietly;  "  but 
if  it  does  I  am  prepared  to  stand  it." 

"  The  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company, 
which  I  hear  is  an  immensely  strong  financial 
organization  and  is  naturally  relentless  and  inexor- 
able in  matters  of  business,  is  apt  to  exact  compli- 
ance with  its  demands,  or  leave  your  warehouses, 
as  it  were,  in  the  air." 

"  I  have  never  credited  them  with  any  other 
intent." 

;'  Then  I  suppose  in  the  end  you  will  take  your 
medicine,  as  the  young  men  say,  and  content  your- 
self with  your  —  ah  —  proclamations  ?  " 

"  My  experience  has  been  that  publicity,  if 
coupled  with  surrender,  is  never  very  efficacious. 
If  I  should  accede  to  the  demands  of  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company,  the  fact  that  I  had 
exposed  them  would  be  of  little  moment." 

"  Oh,  then,  you  propose  to  do  your  own  freight- 
ing by  wagon  and  give  up  the  battle?  "  asked  Hal- 
dane,  his  eagerness  a  little  more  apparent  than  he 
imagined  possible. 

Gormly  looked  at  him  curiously. 

"  I  have  not  said  so,"  he  answered. 

:'  What  do  you  propose?  " 

It  was  a  blunt,  direct  question,  and  one  unwar- 
ranted by  the  situation. 

"  Well  —  "  began  the  merchant  slowly. 

"  I  ask  simply  as  a  citizen  interested  in  the  wel- 
fare of  the  community.  Some  of  the  backers  of 
the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  are  friends 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED         103 

of  mine,  and  from  to-night  I  shall  hope  to  count 
you  also  among  that  number,"  explained  the  finan- 
cier gracefully. 

"  Thank  you,"  returned  Gormly.  "  I  fear, 
however,  that  any  discussion  of  my  plans  might 
be  considered  as  premature.  I  have  learned  that 
it  is  not  wise  to  say  what  you  are  going  to  do  until 
you  are  ready  to  do  it;  that  it  is  much  better,  in 
fact,  to  substitute  doing  for  saying." 

"  An  excellent  maxim !  "  returned  the  other  with 
well  simulated  indifference.  "  All  of  your  fellow 
citizens,  however,  will  be  deeply  interested  in  the 
outcome  of  the  affair.  I  am  an  older  man  than 
you  are,  Mr.  Gormly,  and  may  therefore  take  the 
liberty,  not  of  advising  you  as  to  the  conduct  of 
your  business,  but  of  saying  in  a  friendly  way  one 
or  two  things  that  occur  to  me.  The  first  is  that 
as  a  business  man  I  know  that  this  publicity  is 
more  or  less  distasteful  to  you.  I  assume  that  it 
will  be  to  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Com- 
pany, which,  I  believe,  is  a  very  worthy  con- 
cern, desirous  of  minding  its  own  business  and 
exploiting  its  own  properties.  I  think  myself, 
viewing  the  situation  impartially,  that  you  have 
been  hardly  dealt  with.  I  don't  want  to  see  the 
affair  advance  any  farther,  for  the  credit  of  the 
community.  I  think  I  have  some  little  influ- 
ence,—  my  name  and  connections  —  er  —  my 
family,  and  —  " 

He  hesitated  and  then  stopped. 

"  I   quite  understand  the   importance  of  any- 


104  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

thing  that  you  may  say,  from  your  own  personal 
reputation,  Mr.  Haldane,  from  the  means  at  your 
disposal,  and  from  the  position  which  your  family 
has  occupied  in  the  community.  It  is  only  nec- 
essary to  mention  those  things." 

"Thank  you,"  replied  the  other.  "Well, 
what  I  meant  to  say  is  this.  You  have  built  up  a 
great  business  here  in  New  York.  We  are  —  er 

—  proud  of  it.     You  are,  I  believe,  one  of  the 
institutions  of  the  city.     I  shall,  if  you  will  permit 
me  to  use  my  influence  with  certain  of  my  acquain- 
tances in  the  traction  company,  try  to  induce  it  to 

—  ah  —  modify   its   demands.     Suppose   we   say 
five  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  connections 
and  nothing  more  to  appear  about  it  in  the  public 
press?  " 

"  Is  this  —  "  burst  out  Gormly  quickly.  He 
had  intended  to  say  "  a  bribe  " ;  but  realized  that 
if  he  did  so,  he  would  affront  Haldane,  of  the 
nature  of  whose  interest  in  the  matter  he  was  so 
desirous  of  adjusting,  he  was  not  yet  aware,  and 
so  he  changed  his  mind  and  said,  "  Is  this  a  com- 
promise you  are  offering?  " 

"  I  am  offering  nothing,"  returned  Haldane 
lightly,  almost  indifferently.  "  I  am  not  in  posi- 
tion to  offer  anything.  I  have  no  right  to  do  so, 
no  desire.  As  I  stated  to  you,  I  am  simply  a 
citizen  who  wants  to  see  this  unpleasant  matter 
removed  from  the  papers,  where  such  things  are 
discussed  by  intemperate  writers  without  any  real 
comprehension  of  the  issues  involved  and  I  offer 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED         105 

as  the  friend  of  my  friends,  and,  if  I  may  so  call 
myself,  as  your  friend,  to  bring  you  two  together." 

"  You  are  not  empowered  to  make  such  a  propo- 
siton  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not,"  was  the  specious  answer.  "  I 
simply  take  advantage  of  the  fortunate  chance 
that  gives  me  the  privilege  of  your  acquaintance 
to  do  what  I  conceive  to  be  a  most  important  pub- 
lic service." 

u  And  you  have  no  personal  interest  in  the  mat- 
ter?" 

"  I  have  already  assured  you  as  to  that." 

"  Under  the  circumstances  then,  I  shall  have 
no  hesitation  in  acting  according  to  the  dictates 
of  my  judgment;  my  conscience  as  well,  I  might 
add." 

"  You  would  do  that  in  any  event." 

"  Certainly;  but  if  it  were  a  matter  of  personal 
interest  to  you,  sir,  I  might  be  inclined,  in  view 
of  the  good  will  you  have  manifested  toward  me, 
to  give  you  another  answer  from  that  which  I  now 
deliver." 

"And  what  is  that?" 

"  I  will  not  accept  any  such  offer,  if  it  should 
be  made  me  by  authority.  I  will  not  pay  a  single 
cent  over  and  above  the  actual  cost  of  building 
the  switches  and  a  proper  and  reasonable  amount 
for  the  privilege  of  the  connection."- 

"  Of  course,  you  must  make  your  own  decision. 
In  that  case,  however,  I  fear  you  will  never  get 
the  switches." 


106         THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  I  am  quite  sure  that  before  I  get  through  I 
shall  have  not  only  the  switches,  but  — " 

Gormly  paused,  and  looked  his  companion  hard 
and  directly  in  the  face. 

"  But  what?"  said  Haldane,  flicking  the  ashes 
from  his  cigar  daintily,  and  speculatively  watch- 
ing the  blue  curl  of  smoke  that  rose  languidly  from 
its  end  in  the  air. 

The  room  was  very  still,  though  it  was  sur- 
charged with  possibilities  of  explosion  and  cur- 
rents of  emotion  and  feeling  that  should  have 
shaken  not  merely  the  frail  spiral  of  smoke,  but 
the  building  and  the  city  itself  with  its  violence. 

Gormly  thought  quickly.  He  was  not  now  de- 
ceived by  the  well  assumed  indifference  of  Hal- 
dane. He  was  convinced  that  there  was  some- 
thing back  of  it;  that  the  relation  of  Haldane  to 
the  whole  affair  was  more  than  a  mere  casual  one ; 
that  Haldane  had  not  told  him  the  plain,  unvar- 
nished truth.  And  the  first  emotion  that  came 
over  him  was  one  of  intense  disgust  and  shame 
that  Eleanor  Haldane's  father  should  put  himself 
in  that  position, —  shame  for  her.  Whatever 
Gormly  had  been  or  had  done,  as  has  been  said, 
he  had  gained  his  success  honorably,  and  had  been 
a  truth  teller  and  a  truth  doer  ever  since  he  had 
come  to  New  York.  Perhaps  if  he  had  been  a 
speculator  instead  of  a  legitimate  business  man, 
he  might  have  been  tempted  into  other  courses. 
He  was  a  man  accustomed  to  decide  things  quickly, 
not  on  the  spur  of  the  moment;  but  when  he  had 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED         107 

the  facts  presented  to  him,  he  usually  came  to  an 
instant  conclusion.  He  had  certain  facts  pre- 
sented to  him  now,  and  he  resolved  to  take  the 
bold  course  of  declaring  his  purpose  to  this  man, 
who,  he  was  now  forced  to  believe,  was  in  al- 
liance with  the  enemy,  how  close  an  alliance  he 
could  afterward  ascertain. 

"  But  what,  sir?  "  asked  Haldane  again  at  last. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Haldane,  I  will  be  frank  with  you. 
I  not  only  intend  to  have  my  track  connections, 
but  I  intend  to  have  the  Gotham  Freight  Trac- 
tion Company  as  well." 

"  My  dear  sir!  "  said  Haldane  gently,  not  turn- 
ing a  hair  before  this  astounding  declaration. 
Indeed,  it  was  too  absurd  and  incredible  even  to 
startle.  It  could  only  amuse,  and  there  was  a 
flicker  of  a  smile  on  Haldane's  otherwise  impas- 
sive and  indifferent,  not  to  say  blase,  countenance. 
"  Are  you  aware  that  the  bonds  of  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company  are  two  hundred  and 
fifty  million  dollars;  that  stock  for  twice  as  much 
more  has  been  issued  and  sold  and  is  already  at  a 
premium;  that  it  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  ninety- 
nine-year  franchise  with  the  privilege  of  renewal; 
that  its  promoters  include  some  of  the  ablest  fin- 
anciers in  the  city?" 

"  Much  of  what  you  say  is  a  matter  of  public 
notoriety.  You  have  given  me,  however,  some 
information  that  I  did  not  possess  and  which  is  of 
value,"  said  Gormly  quietly. 

Haldane  did  not  acknowledge  the  touch,  though 


io8  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

he  winced  inwardly  at  it.  He  was  too  good  a 
player  not  to  know  that  with  such  a  dangerous  ad- 
versary as  it  would  seem  Gormly  would  be,  he 
could  not  afford  to  make  the  slightest  concession 
or  give  the  most  seemingly  unimportant  informa- 
tion. 

"  And  yet  you  speak,"  he  went  on,  "  of  con- 
trolling the  company?" 

"I  do." 

"  This  is  most  interesting.  I  am  curious  to 
know  how  you  propose  to  do  it?  I  confess  that 
in  these  peaceful  days  I  enjoy  nothing  so  much  as 
a  trial  of  wits,  a  struggle  of  brains." 

"  It  is  the  only  warfare  nowadays  in  which 
the  individual  may  engage  legitimately.  We  are 
all  agreed  as  to  that." 

Gormly  paused  as  Haldane  resumed. 

"  But  has  it  occurred  to  you  how  utterly  im- 
possible would  be  such  a  contest?" 

"  I  have  nd  doubt  that  the  odds  would  be 
heavily  against  me." 

"  My  dear  sir,  to  use  the  language  of  Belmont 
Park,  you  would  be  a  hundred-to-one-shot." 

"  But  such  shots  sometimes  hit  the  mark." 

"Rarely,  rarely!" 

''  That  they  should  do  so  once  is  enough  in- 
spiration for  me." 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  began  Haldane,  suddenly 
turning  and  facing  him.  "  I  have  no  doubt  that 
at  buying  and  selling  anything  but  stocks  I  should 
be  a  mere  tyro  in  your  hands.  The  business  that 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED          109 

you  have  built  up  is  evidence  of  your  capacity  in 
that  line;  but  you  have,  I  take  it,  never  mingled 
in  Wall  Street,  never  dealt  on  the  exchange?  " 

"  Never.     I  don't  mean  to  either." 

"  How  then  do  you  expect  to  obtain  control  of 
such  a  corporation  as  this,  especially  when  it  has 
back  of  it  the  city  government  as  well  as  the 
Sachem  Society?  " 

This  was  a  direct  question.  A  great  deal  of 
the  dissimulation  that  had  been  exhibited  by  the 
elder  man  had  been  abandoned.  His  interest 
now  was  expressed  even  more  frankly  than  had 
Gormly's  been  exhibited  originally.  As  the  one 
man  had  abandoned  his  reticence,  the  other 
had  acquired  it.  The  question  was  one  Gormly 
could  have  declined  to  answer  without  a  moment's 
hesitation  without  giving  any  offense,  for  it  was  one 
that  Haldane  had  no  right  to  ask.  He  thought 
deeply,  if  swiftly,  and  before  he  spoke,  Haldane 
continued: 

"  You  are,  I  take  it,  a  wealthy  man ;  but  no 
single  man  could  command  the  resources  of  this 
corporation;  that  is,  no  single  man  outside  of  those 
few  who  are  in  it,"  he  went  on,  "  and  it  would 
be  sheer  madness  for  you  to  attempt  it." 

"  Mr.  Haldane,"  said  Gormly,  coming  to 
another  conclusion,  "  there  is  a  power  in  this 
country  greater  than  the  money  power." 

"  And  what  may  that  be,  sir?  " 

"  The  power  of  the  people." 

"  In  this  instance,  the  people  are  already  on 


no  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

the  side  of  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Com- 
pany." 

"Are  they  so?" 

"  Certainly.  Through  their  representatives 
they  have  voted  them  a  franchise  under  which  the 
line  has  been  constructed  and  by  which  it  is 
operated,  through  the  provisions  of  which  it  will 
be  held." 

"  Have  the  people  surrendered  their  rights  ab- 
solutely to  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Com- 
pany?" 

"  I  should  say  that  they  had." 

"  Are  they  delivered,  bound  hand  and  foot,  to 
this  corporation?" 

"  Well,  you  put  it  rather  poetically ;  but  in  sub- 
stance your  remark  is  true." 

"And  have  they  no  redress  or  recourse?" 

"  Certainly." 

"  And  what  is  that?  " 

"  I  haven't  the  slightest  objection  to  telling  you. 
They  can  revoke  the  franchise  —  at  the  expira- 
tion of  the  ninety-nine-year  term." 

"Is  that  all  they  can  do?" 

"  Absolutely  all.  You  see,  therefore,  it  would 
be  quite  hopeless  for  you  to  attempt  to  fight  this 
corporation,  even  with  the  alliance  and  support  of 
the  people,  which  it  is  by  no  means  certain  you 
could  gain." 

"And  that  is  your  unprejudiced  opinion  ?  " 

"  It  is.     Therefore  I  urge  upon  you  the  ac- 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED        in 

ceptance  of  my  offer  to  mediate  between  you  and 
them." 

"  And  you  say  your  interest  is  purely  im- 
personal?" 

"  Entirely." 

Haldane,  according  to  his  code,  was  a  man  of 
unblemished  honor.  His  word  in  any  personal 
matter  was  as  good  as  his  bond.  He  would  have 
scorned  to  lie,  or  even  to  prevaricate  or  deceive  in 
any  personal  matter.  But  when  it  came  to  the 
vast  affairs  of  business,  he  was  as  corrupt  as  are 
most  of  the  great  manipulators  of  stocks  and  prop- 
erties. He  belonged  to  the  most  selfish  group 
of  men  on  earth.  Dealing  habitually  with  the 
public,  the  principle  in  vogue  was  one  that  had 
been  unequivocally  set  forth  by  the  prototype  of 
the  present  financial  buccaneer, —  "  The  public  be 
damned,"  —  therefore,  he  did  not  hesitate  in 
furtherance  of  his  plans  or  desires  to  say  whatever 
suited  him  without  the  slightest  regard  for  the 
truth. 

"  I  am  glad,  as  I  said  before,  to  know  that," 
returned  Gormly,  "  because  I  should  not  like  to 
find  myself  in  opposition  to  one  who  has  mani- 
fested such  friendliness  to  me  as  you  have." 

Haldane  looked  up  suspiciously;  but  Gormly's 
appearance  was  absolutely  guileless. 

"  For  notwithstanding  what  you  tell  me,"  the 
merchant  continued,  "  all  of  which  is  doubtless 
true.  I  propose  to  enter  the  contest  with  the 


ii2          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company.  I  have 
never  allowed  myself  to  be  robbed;  I  have  never 
been  beaten  by  trickery  and  chicanery;  and  I  don't 
propose  to  be  robbed  or  beaten  now." 

"  Ruin,  absolute  ruin,  is  before  you,"  said  the 
other  earnestly,  "  if  you  engage  in  this  contest. 
You  have  made  one  mistake,  sir.  You  would  bet- 
ter pay  for  it,  even  though  you  pay  high,  than 
involve  your  whole  business  in  a  hopeless  battle." 

"  But  has  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Com- 
pany made  no  mistakes  in  its  turn  ?  " 

"  None  that  I  am  aware  of." 

"Are   you   familiar  with   its   affairs?" 

"  Only  as  I  may  read  of  its  transactions  in  the 
public  press." 

"And  you   approve  thereof?" 

"  My  approval  or  disapproval  is  not  of  special 
moment.  I  confess  that  possibly  your  unfamil- 
iarity  with  such  methods  may  cause  you  to  believe 
the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  to  be  harsh 
in  its  methods;  but  I  think  they  have  done  nothing 
illegal,  nothing  outside  the  scope  of  the  charter, 
nothing  inconsistent  with  the  terms  of  the  fran- 
chise." 

"  But,  sir,  they  are  trying  to  hold  me  up  —  to 
use  a  blunt  phrase  —  for  a  million  dollars  for  a 
thing  that  should  not  be  worth  a  tenth  of  that 
amount  on  a  liberal  basis.  Morally  — " 

"  Morals,  my  dear  Mr.  Gormly,  somehow  seem 
to  have  little  to  do  with  business.  They  have  the 
power  and  the  desire,  and  you  are  in  the  unfortu- 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED          113 

nate  position  of  the  under  dog.  You  must  do 
what  they  like,  or — " 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  We  shall  see,"  said  Gormly.  "  I  believe, 
though  I  am  not  a  student  of  military  history,  that 
an  able  general  is  one  who  takes  advantage  of 
the  mistakes  of  the  enemy,  and  that  more  battles 
are  won  by  such  sharp  sighted  endeavor  than  by 
deliberate  planning." 

"  Precisely !  This  is  a  case  in  point.  The 
Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  is  taking  ad- 
vantage of  your  mistake." 

"  But  I  have  also  heard,"  continued  Gormly 
imperturbably,  "  that  the  ablest  general  is  he  who 
not  only  takes  advantage  of  his  enemy's  mistakes, 
but  who  turns  his  own  mistakes  to  good  account. 
I  propose  to  do  that.  Under  ordinary  circum- 
stances I  should  have  no  special  ambitions  in  the 
political  field;  but,  now  that  the  issue  has  been 
drawn, —  you  will  forgive  my  plain  speech, —  be- 
tween honesty  and  dishonesty,  blackmail  and  fair 
dealing,  I  propose  to  antagonize  the  party  in 
power  and  the  Sachem  Society  which  granted  this 
franchise  and  delivered  the  city  into  the  hands  of 
this  corporation  and  to  drive  them  out." 

"  Many  men  have  tried  that;  none  in  my  recol- 
lection have  succeeded." 

"  The  more  honor  in  succeeding  now,  and  the 
more  inspiration  to  try." 

"  But   suppose   you    did   succeed,    what   then  ? 


ii4  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

How  would  that  affect  the  Gotham  Freight 
Traction  Company?" 

"  Meanwhile,"  said  Gormly,  and  in  this  in- 
stance he  deliberately  laid  all  his  cards  on  the 
table.  "  I  propose  to  take  advantage  of  the  one 
blunder  of  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Com- 
pany." 

"And  what  is  that?"  asked  Haldane  with  in- 
tense eagerness.  There  was  no  longer  the  faintest 
pretense  between  these  two.  His  cards  were  on 
the  table  as  well,  although  he  had  not  admitted  it. 

"  In  order  to  make  the  franchise  of  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company  really  of  value,  to  com- 
plete the  system,  without  which  it  begins  and  ends 
in  the  air,  they  must  have  the  old  New  York  Street 
Car  Company  franchise  which  expires  next  spring. 
It  covers  the  only  available  routes  and  the  only 
available  streets  to  connect  the  two  ends  of  the 
Gotham  enterprise.  Somehow  or  other  the  astute 
minds  controlling  the  corporation  failed  to  secure 
the  renewal  of  this  franchise.  It  has  to  be  voted 
upon  and  passed  in  the  spring." 

u  The  present  administration,"  was  the  quick 
reply,  "will  be  in  power  until  the  April  elections. 
The  franchise  expires  in  March.  No  re-grant  of 
it  could  be  made  until  then.  It  will  be  renewed 
before  a  new  administration  could  supplant  the 
old,  even  if  your  wild  dreams  were  successful." 

"  That  is  to  be  seen,"  answered  Gormly  coolly. 

"  My  dear  sir,  it  is  self  evident." 

"  By  no  means.     I  am  not  a  politician,  neither 


MR.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED         115 

am  I  a  speculator,  neither  am  I  a  financier;  but  I 
have  had  dealings  with  greater  masses  of  men  and 
women  possibly  than  any  man  outside  of  the 
Mayor  of  the  City  or  the  Governor  of  the  State, 
and  I  know  what  public  opinion  is.  I  think  I 
know  also  how  to  arouse  and  stimulate  it.  Public 
opinion  shall  be  aroused  on  the  question  of  the 
renewal  of  the  franchise  of  the  New  York  Street 
Car  Company,  with  a  clear  explanation  of  the 
principles  and  consequences  involved,  to  such  an 
extent  that  I  do  not  believe  any  administration 
on  earth  will  dare  to  counter  it." 

"And  who  will  do  this  arousing?" 

"  I  will." 

"How?" 

"  By  offering  myself  as  a  candidate  for  Mayor 
of  New  York  and  by  fighting  the  battle  on  that  is- 
sue, and  that  alone." 

"  I  might,"  said  Haldane  slowly,  after  a  deeply 
thoughtful  moment. — "  I  might  secure  the 
privileges  you  desire  —  conditioned  — 

"  I  don't  desire  them  now,  Mr.  Haldane,"  re- 
turned Gormly.  "  I  am  in  the  battle  to  stay.  I 
ask  nothing  from  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company;  it  can  confer  no  favors  upon  me.  I 
shall  take  what  I  am  entitled  to  by  the  grace  of 
God  and  the  will  of  the  people." 

Haldane  stared  a  long  time  at  the  dark,  deter- 
mined face  of  his  host. 

"  You  will  make  a  splendid  enemy,  Mr. 
Gormly,"  he  said  at  last.  "  The  battle  between 


u6          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

you  and  the  Traction  Company  will  be  one  worth 
going  a  long  distance  to  see." 

"  I  shall  be  fighting,"  returned  Gormly,  with 
more  meaning  than  the  other  dreamed  of,  "  for 
all  that  life  holds  dear." 

"  Is  success  then  so  priceless  to  you?  "  returned 
the  other.  "  Well,  I  fear  you  are  doomed  to 
deep  and  bitter  disappointment,"  he  continued, 
rising  to  his  feet. 

"  That's  as  may  be,"  was  the  answer,  as  the 
merchant  also  rose;  "but  at  least  the  battle  will 
be  worth  while." 

Haldane  looked  fixedly  at  the  younger  man. 
He  acknowledged  that  in  him  the  Gotham  Freight 
Traction  Company  and  he  himself  had  found  the 
worthiest  antagonist  that  the  abundant  and  bril- 
liant talent  of  the  great  metropolis  could  pro- 
duce. 

At  that  instant  the  tall  clock  in  the  hall  struck 
the  hour  of  twelve. 

"  I  have  the  honor,"  said  Gormly,  bowing  for- 
mally, "  to  wish  you  a  very  Merry  Christmas,  Mr. 
Haldane." 


CHAPTER  VI 

GORMLY  ANNOUNCES  HIS  CANDIDACY 

'  I  VHE  hall  into  which  Miss  Haldane  stepped 
•**  early  the  next  morning  had  been  transformed 
into  a  perfect  bower  of  winter  beauty.  There 
had  been  no  time  to  buy  anything;  but  the  most 
available  pine  trees  on  the  place,  of  which  there 
were  several,  had  been  ruthlessly  sacrificed,  and 
under  Gormly's  personal  supervision  the  hall,  a 
magnificent  apartment  under  any  circumstances, 
had  been  lavishly  decorated  with  the  fragrant 
evergreen  in  honor  of  Christmas. 

The  storm  of  the  night  had  blown  itself  out 
with  the  advent  of  the  day.  It  was  a  brilliant, 
sunshiny  morning.  The  lawn  without  fairly  scin- 
tillated with  light  and  whiteness  from  the  ice  and 
snow.  The  air  was  clear  as  a  bell  and  very  crisp 
and  cold.  Miss  Haldane  knew  this;  for,  finding 
the  hall  deserted  on  her  entrance,  without  more 
ado  she  went  out  through  the  vestibule  and 
stepped  on  the  porch,  surveying  the  blue  waters 
of  the  sound  tossing  gaily  beyond  the  ice  crust 
that  lined  the  shore  in  front  of  her.  The  cold 
and  brisk  breeze  brought  a  glorious  touch  of  red 
to  her  cheeks.  She  incarnated  the  very  spirit  of 
youth  and  beauty  and  happiness  as  she  reentered 
117 


ii8  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN     . 

the  hall,  and  coming  face  to  face  with  Gormly 
wished  him  again  a  Merry  Christmas.  She  was 
not  dressed  in  her  dinner  gown,  either,  nor  had 
she  been  compelled  to  resort  to  the  wardrobe  of 
the  lodgekeeper's  wife,  which  surely  never  would 
have  afforded  adequate  clothing  for  her  youthful 
yet  splendid  figure. 

Gormly  had  been  busy  during  the  night.  He 
actually  had  not  slept  a  wink.  Not  the  most 
ardent  and  devoted  of  youthful  lovers  could  have 
more  unselfishly  spent  himself  to  promote  the  com- 
fort and  convenience  of  the  woman  he  adored. 
So  soon  as  he  had  got  the  party  safely  to  bed, 
he  had  gone  to  the  stable,  and  in  default  of  any- 
one else  who  could  do  so,  he  had  himself  ridden 
across  the  country  through  the  snow  and  storm, 
which  was  even  then  dying  out,  to  notify  the  peo- 
ple at  the  Haldane  place  of  the  predicament  of  the 
family  and  to  arrange  that  maids  and  men  with 
proper  clothing  should  be  brought  over  to  his  own 
cottage  early  in  the  morning. 

The  pair  that  he  had  in  the  stable  were  spirited 
animals,  not  broken  to  the  saddle.  They  had 
never  been  ridden.  Gormly  rode  one,  however, 
without  too  much  difficulty,  and  it  brought  back  old 
days  in  rather  grim  and  tragic  recollection  when 
he  found  himself  bending  to  face  the  storm  as  he 
had  done  when  a  boy  on  the  prairies.  As  before, 
it  was  for  a  woman;  but  this  time  how  different 
a  being! 

With  four  horses  attached  to  the  large  station 


GORMLY  ANNOUNCES  CANDIDACY      119 

wagon,  the  maids  and  men  had  arrived  betimes, 
and  when  mistress  and  master  awoke  they  were 
ready  to  attend  upon  them.  Hence  Miss  Hal- 
dane  was  under  no  necessity  of  appearing  in 
evening  costume  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
or  of  making  a  guy  of  herself  in  Mrs.  Bullen's 
extraordinary  attire.  She  was  one  of  the  rare 
women  who  appreciate  the  privileges  they  enjoy. 
She  was  correspondingly  grateful  and  naturally 
very  curious.  She  had  learned,  of  course,  from 
her  maid  how  the  news  had  been  brought  and 
how  she  happened  to  be  there  with  the  change  of 
apparel. 

Miss  Haldane  had  not  slept  very  well;  for  one 
reason  her  thoughts  had  dwelt  unceasingly  upon 
that  strange  conversation  she  had  had  with  her 
host.  She  had  awakened  earlier  than  the  rest,  had 
dressed  immediately,  and  had  descended  to  the 
hall  in  the  hope  of  seeing  him.  Her  pleasure  and 
satisfaction  sparkled  in  her  eyes  as  she  extended 
her  hand. 

"How  delightfully  Christmaslike  is  the  room; 
how  good  it  smells !  "  she  said  after  the  first 
words  of  greeting. 

"  I  am  glad  indeed  that  it  pleases  you," 
answered  Gormly,  smiling.  "  And  if  you  will 
permit  me,  I  will  repeat  my  words  of  last  night, 
or  early  this  morning,  and  wish  you  again  a  very 
Merry  Christmas  and  a  Happy  New  Year  as 
well." 

"  And  I  will  give  you  back  your  wish  with  in- 


120  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

terest,"  returned  Miss  Haldane,  "  as  I  did  last 
night.  I  am  sure  that  we  are  all  intensely 
grateful  to  you  for  your  forethought  in  having  the 
maids  and  clothes  brought  over.  Felice,  my  maid, 
has  told  me  that  you  rode  over  yourself  very  early 
this  morning  to  carry  the  news  of  our  plight,  and 
to  bring  them.  It  must  have  been  hard  riding." 

"  It  took  me  back  to  boyhood  days,  Miss 
Haldane." 

"In  the  West?"  asked  the  girl. 

"  Well,  yes,"  was  the  somewhat  reluctant 
answer,  "  although  the  greater  part  of  my  boy- 
hood was  not  spent  in  the  West." 

"  And  this  ride  in  the  storm,  was  it  like  the 
other  rides  and  storms  you  have  experienced?  " 

'*  This  was  a  very  mild  affair  compared  to 
those.  I  could  wish  it  had  been  harder." 

"Why?" 

"  This  time  I  was  riding  for  another  woman,  a 
different  woman." 

Miss  Haldane  rather  thrilled  to  the  direct  state- 
ment; but  womanlike  she  changed  the  subject. 
She  was  interested  in  Gormly,  nothing  else.  It 
was  quite  obvious  that  the  man  was  greatly  im- 
pressed by  her,  and  other  things,  which  were  not 
quite  obvious  were  certainly  possible  and  per- 
haps even  more  than  probable,  but  Miss  Haldane 
did  not  desire  to  realize  these  things  more  clearly 
than  she  did  at  present.  Yet  she  could  not  be 
insensible  to  them. 

Women  always  think  tenderly  of  their  admirers, 


GORMLY  ANNOUNCES  CANDIDACY     121 

and  they  never  quite  lose  a  certain  regard  for 
those  who  have  professed  affection  for  them.  A 
woman  may  marry  and  have  children  and  be  a 
devoted  wife  and  mother;  but  she  resents,  be  she 
as  old  as  the  hills,  the  defection  of  any  former 
admirer  as  a  personal  slight  to  her  qualities  and 
characteristics.  It  is  part  of  the  innate  selfishness 
of  a  sex  that  loves  to  be  admired  and  has  achieved 
its  present  position  because  it  has  qualities  that 
provoke  admiration  and  demand  it.  Therefore 
Miss  Haldane  was  pleased  with  what  she  thought 
she  saw  and  heard  in  Mr.  Gormly's  man- 
ner—  nothing  more  than  that.  So,  at  least,  she 
would  have  declared. 

"  Did  you  have  this  Christmas  arrangement  of 
pines  made  in  the  hall  ?  "  She  asked  irrelevantly. 

"  For  you  —  and  your  party,"  interposed 
Gormly  with  a  perceptible  break  after  the  pro- 
noun so  as  to  allow  the  fact  to  permeate  thor- 
oughly. "  I  wish,"  he  added,  "  that  circum- 
stances permitted  me  to  signalize  the  season  by 
offering  you  an  adequate  Christmas  present." 

"  Indeed,  you  have  made  us  all  a  Christmas 
present  in  extending  such  gracious  and  adequate 
hospitality,  in  your  thoughtful  care  and  provision 
for  us." 

"  I  have,  however,  something  that  may  pos- 
sibly interest  you,  which  I  may  venture  to  hope 
you  may  regard  as  a  personal  tribute  from  me  in 
lieu  of  such  a  gift." 

"And  what  is  that?"   asked   Miss  Haldane, 


122  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

her  curiosity  getting  the  better  of  her  discretion. 

"  It  is  here !  "  said  Gormly,  extending  to  her  a 
copy  of  The  New  York  Planet  of  Christmas 
morning,  which  had  been  brought  over  from  the 
station  by  special  messenger  by  his  direction. 

"The  morning  paper!"  exclaimed  the  girl, 
with  a  laugh. 

"  Not  so  much  the  morning  paper,  interesting 
though  it  usually  is,  but  something  that  appears 
therein." 

"What  is  that?" 

"  Allow  me." 

He  took  the  paper  from  her,  opened  it  until 
he  came  to  the  advertising  section,  and  then 
handed  it  back  to  her.  In  bold  type  covering  a 
whole  page  she  read  the  following: 


£    o         ^^ 


c3   j« 

•a  73 
?   « 

C    +•> 

51 
«•§ 

M>      M 

OS 


DUtn'W  i     "!     ^»    Ml  B     b     ^ 

«  a  •§  a  a  o  o.  e  •a  «  JS  ic3« 

>S-fio2i  OO^JBW  ^^z 

u-sbe-r-c  .SJ.ii'Ce^  ^3 

<1>         -J       .—      M«      •-•  V  ti  ^  ^>       ^* 

Sat.,,     w  &*o,>»oS!£  "i-^a 

°''e£"Se  &«^fc£5  ,2^4> 

4,^^-=o  «-a_2«^«  ^?ia 

*****  *isii  &;i 

Me-e  jr^o^aj.::  feSa 


124          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Eleanor  Haldane  read  this  extraordinary  an- 
nouncement aloud.  Then  she  handed  the  paper 
back  to  him  and  extended  her  hand,  joyfully  ex- 
claiming, 

"  It  is  perfectly  splendid.  It's  the  finest  thing 
I  have  ever  heard.  Nothing  could  have  de- 
lighted me  more.  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you  ir- 
revocably committed  to  the  step!  I  am  sure  you 
will  be  elected,  and  — " 

"  What,  my  dear  child,"1  broke  in  the  cold 
voice  of  Mrs.  Haldane,  who  was  just  descending 
the  stairs,  "  is  giving  you  such  joy,  may  I  ask?  " 

"  Mother,"  said  the  young  woman,  turning  to 
her  and  lifting  the  paper  from  the  table,  "  what 
do  you  think?  Mr.  Gormly  has  announced 
himself  as  candidate  for  Mayor  of  New  York  at 
the  spring  election." 

"  Indeed,"  began  Mrs.  Haldane  loftily,  sur- 
veying Gormly  through  her  lorgnette,  "  I  am 
quite  surprised." 

"  I  think  it's  awfully  jolly,"  broke  in  Miss 
Stewart,  who  had  followed  the  elder  woman  into 
the  hall.  "  I  didn't  know  that  gentlemen 
mingled  in  politics  as  a  rule.  I  thought  it  was 
all  reserved  for  the  Sachem  Society." 

"  What  you  don't  know  about  the  politics  of 
New  York  would  fill  a  large  book,  Miss  Stew- 
art," said  Livingstone  Haldane,  who  had  entered 
the  room  with  Dr.  Deveaux  at  the  same  time. 

"  I  am  afraid  it  will  be  a  sad  day  for  the  men," 
said  the  doctor,  "  when  the  women  begin  to  take 


GORMLY  ANNOUNCES  CANDIDACY    125 

intelligent  interest  in  men,  not  merely  as  men  but 
as  politicians." 

"What  has  started  the  political  discussion?" 
queried  young  Haldane. 

"  Mr.  Gormly  has,"  answered  his  sister. 
"  He  has  announced  himself  as  candidate  for 
Mayor  of  New  York." 

"  And  I  said  that  I  never  knew  that  gentle- 
men went  into  politics,"  interposed  Miss  Stewart. 

"  They  often  enter,"  said  the  doctor,  "  as 
gentlemen;  but  infrequently  leave  with  the  same 
degree." 

"  That's  right,"  answered  Livingstone.  "  It 
is  rather  a  nasty  game  to  play." 

"  But  don't  you  think,"  asked  Gormly,  "  that 
if  a  few  more  gentlemen  would  play  it,  it  would 
become  a  cleaner  game?" 

"  Of  course,  it  would,"  assented  the  vivacious 
Miss  Stewart.  "  Mr.  Haldane,  why  don't  you 
enter  it  yourself?  " 

"  By  Jove !  "  exclaimed  the  young  man,  "  that 
wouldn't  be  a  half  bad  idea,  would  it,  sis?" 
And  it  came  almost  with  a  shock  to  Gormly  to 
hear  his  divinity  called  by  this  homely  appella- 
tion. "  Father's  always  talking  to  me  about  a 
career  and  all  that.  I  wonder  why  that  would- 
n't be  a  good  game !  " 

"  It's  expensive  enough  as  a  pastime,"  said  Dr. 
Deveaux,  "  to  rank  with  horse  racing  and  auto- 
mobiling  and  other  pleasant  enjoyments  of  the 
harmless  rich." 


i26         THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

r 

"  I  should  not  think,"  said  Mrs.  Haldane  pon- 
derously, "  of  allowing  my  son  to  —  associate 
himself  with  — " 

"  Mother,"  cried  her  daughter,  "  you  forget 
that  Mr.  Gormly — " 

"Quite  so,  quite  so,"  said  the  lady  vaguely; 
"but  for  persons  in  —  er  —  trade." 

"  Yes,"  said  Dr.  Deveaux,  "  politics  as  a  rule 
is  made  up  of  barter  and  sale,  I  believe." 

"  If  that's  the  case,"  interposed  young  Hal- 
dane facetiously,  "  I'll  get  father  to  buy  me  the 
office,  and  — " 

His  sister  turned  on  him  contemptuously. 
"  Livingstone,"  she  said,  "  this  is  a  serious  mat- 
ter. The  people  of  New  York  have  been  robbed 
right  and  left  in  every  way.  Everybody  knows 
that.  We  have  the  worst  administration  that  has 
ever  disgraced  the  city.  Mr.  Gormly,  for  the 
sake  of  the  people,  is  going  to  try  to  make  things 
different."' 

"  They  all  say  that,"  laughed  Livingstone. 
"  I  don't  mean  anything  personal  of  course,  Mr. 
Gormly." 

"  Say  whatever  you  like,  Mr.  Haldane,"  re- 
turned Gormly  composedly.  "  I  expected  that 
the  notice  would  cause  discussion;  indeed  I  wrote 
it  for  that  purpose.  Nor  can  I  feel  aggrieved 
if  some  of  the  discussion  is  unfavorable  to  the 
proposition;  I  expect  that  much  of  it  will  be. 
Nevertheless  I  beg  to  assure  you  that  I  have  en- 
tered upon  the  undertaking  very  seriously  with 


GORMLY  ANNOUNCES  CANDIDACY    127 

a  definite  purpose  in  view;  that  I  have  honestly 
stated  that  purpose  without  any  reservation  what- 
soever in  the  advertisement,  which,  if  you  will  do 
me  the  honor  to  read  it,  sets  forth  my  ideas  ex- 
actly. And  while  much  that  you  have  said,  Dr. 
Deveaux,  about  politicians  and  the  political  situa- 
tion is  generally  true,  I  wish  to  assure  you  that  I 
reserve  barter  and  trade  for  my  business,  and  if 
I  cannot  be  elected  by  the  votes  of  the  people  on 
a  plain,  straightforward  issue  such  as  I  present, 
then  I  shall  cheerfully  devote  the  rest  of  my  life 
to  minding  my  own  business." 

"  The  man  who  minds  his  own  business,"  said 
Haldane  the  elder,  who  had  entered  unobserved 
by  the  rest  of  the  group,  and  had  listened  long 
enough  to  catch  the  drift  of  the  conversation,  "  as 
a  rule  is  not  cut  out  for  a  politician.  The  chief 
function  of  the  politician  is  to  attend  to  the  busi- 
ness of  other  people,  and  the  successful  politician 
is  the  one  who  can  first  of  all  persuade  the  people 
that  their  business  needs  attention;  and  secondly, 
that  no  one  can  give  it  such  attention  as  he  him- 
self; that  he  is  the  one  indispensable  man." 

"  I  do  not  assume  to  be  the  only  man  who  can 
give  New  York  a  business  administration;  who 
can  stop  graft  and  abuse;  who  can  safeguard  the 
rights  of  the  people;  who  can  stand  for  justice 
and  equal  opportunity,  the  administration  of  the 
law,  and  the  abolition  of  privilege.  There  are 
doubtless  thousands  of  men  who  could  be  trusted 
to  do  those  things,  or  at  least  to  make  a  brave 


j28  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

attempt  in  that  direction;  but  none  of  them  has 
come  forward  with  an  offer  to  do  so." 

"  And  so  you  yourself  have  jumped  into  the 
breach  ?  "  said  Haldane,  reaching  for  the  morning 
paper  with  which  his  daughter  made  haste  to 
supply  him. 

"  I  do  so,  I  beg  you  to  believe,  because  no  one 
else  appears  to  be  willing.  Should  anyone  pre- 
sent himself  who  would  in  my  judgment  more 
effectively  promote  these  things,  I  should  be  glad 
indeed  to  withdraw  in  his  favor  and  give  him  my 
support." 

Gormly  spoke  with  such  simplicity  and  sincerity 
that  his  truth  was  evident  even  to  the  most  sus- 
picious in  the  room. 

"  Father,"  began  young  Haldane,  "  look  at 
me !  "  Haldane  fixed  a  coldly  critical  eye  upon 
him.  "  You  have  intimated  several  times  that 
idleness  was  not  the  proper  career  for  a  young 
man.  How  would  I  do  for  a  candidate  for  the 
office  of  Mayor.  I  understand  that  it  can  be 
bought,  and  if  you  care  to  invest  the  money  I 
shall  try  to  live  up  to  the  opportunities." 

"  Splendid  1  "  said  Miss  Stewart.  "  And  then 
unless  Mr.  Gormly  should  withdraw,  we  should 
have  a  lively  battle  between  them,  and  we  should 
know  both  the  candidates.  1  think  I  should  like 
to  get  out  with  a  carriage  and  flowers  and  cam- 
paign like  the  English  women  do,  kisses  for  votes, 
and  — " 

"  I  should  not  like  that  at  all,"  said  young  Hal- 


GORMLY  ANNOUNCES  CANDIDACY    129 

dane  genially,  "  unless  I  could  buy  up  the  voting 
privileges  of  the  community  and  elect  myself, 
having  you  do  your  campaigning  entirely  with 
me." 

"  This  kind  of  campaign,"  returned  Miss 
Stewart,  "  is  one  in  which  money  purchases  no 
privileges.  What  do  you  think  of  that,  Mr. 
Gormly?" 

"  I  have  the  highest  respect  for  the  purity  of 
Mr.  Haldane's  motives,  especially  as  you  offer  to 
campaign  for  him  in  so  charming  a  way;  but 
under  the  circumstances  I  hardly  think  that  I 
could  withdraw  from  the  position  I  have  taken. 
I  am  sure  that  if  I  can  enlist  you  on  my  side  on 
the  same  terms,  I  am  as  good  as  elected." 

"Behold,"  said  Dr.  Deveaux,  "  the  un- 
doubted power  of  woman  in  politics!  For  the 
bribe  with  which  Miss  Stewart  seeks  to  corrupt 
mankind,  I  should  be  willing  to  vote  for  anybody, 
even  herself." 

"  You  are  fully  committed  to  the  enterprise,  I 
see,  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Haldane  gravely. 

"  Absolutely." 

"  Well,  I  supposed  as  much  after  our  conver- 
sation last  night.  Nothing  can  alter  your  reso- 
lution." 

"Nothing;  at  least  nothing  that  is  likely  to  be 
offered." 

"  Eleanor,"  said  Haldane  —  at  which  Mr. 
Gormly  started  violently,  the  word  came  in  so 
pat, — "what  do  you  think  of  this  scheme?" 


I3o          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Father,  I  think  it  is  splendid,  glorious ! 
Mr.  Gormly  told  me  of  his  intention  last  night, 
as  he  seems  to  have  told  you.  I  have  always  said 
that  the  man  who  does  something  in  a  large  way 
for  his  fellow  men  is  after  all  fulfilling  more 
nearly  than  any  other  the  highest  obligations  and 
privileges  of  his  manhood." 

"  My  dear  child,"  said  Mrs.  Haldane  disap- 
provingly, "  are  you  intending  to  enter  the  politi- 
cal field?" 

"  Not  on  the  same  terms  as  Louise ;  but  so  far 
as  wishing  Mr.  Gormly  success  in  his  enterprise, 
I  am  fully  committed  thereto." 

"  It  is  the  people  who  wish  but  do  nothing 
else,"  commented  Dr.  Deveaux  dryly,  "  who  are 
responsible  for  present  conditions." 

"  Exactly,"  answered  Miss  Stewart.  "  I  al- 
ways thought  that  very  thing,  and  am  delighted 
to  have  my  proposed  plan  win  the  approval  of  so 
active  and  important  a  political  exponent  as  Dr. 
Deveaux." 

"  You  make  me  more  determined  then  ever  to 
offer  myself,"  said  young  Haldane  amid  the  gen- 
eral laugh. 

"  And  I  may  have  some  influence,"  added  Miss 
Haldane  earnestly. 

"  To  wit,"  said  her  brother,  "  with  the  Duke, 
and  the  Count,  and  the  Baron,  and  the  Baronet, 
and  the  other  scions  of  the  effete  aristocracy  upon 
whom  father  is  spending  his  good  money,  and 
mother  her  good  taste,  and  I  my  good  temper." 


GORMLY  ANNOUNCES  CANDIDACY    131 

"  Livingstone,"  interposed  his  mother  loftily, 
"  these  gentlemen  to  whom  you  refer  have  no 
interest  whatever  in  the  —  er  —  politics  of  New 
York." 

And  yet,  thought  Dr.  Deveaux,  though  he  said 
nothing,  they  might  have  a  deep  and  abiding  in- 
terest, since  he  alone  of  those  present  suspected 
how  much  of  Miss  Haldane's  fortune  was  due  to 
the  fact  that  Haldane  was  not  so  disinterested  in 
municipal  affairs  as  he  seemed. 

Miss  Haldane  answered  sharply.  "  They  are 
not  the  only  men  of  my  acquaintance.  Most  of 
those  whom  we  know  socially  are  of  your  mental 
caliber  and  disposition,  Livingstone;  but  there  are 
some  earnest  men  among  my  friends  whom  I  am 
sure  I  can  interest." 

"If  you  wish  to  gain  your  sister's  good  opin- 
ion, Mr.  Haldane,"  said  Miss  Stewart,  "  I  see 
that  you  will  have  to  do  something." 

"  Would  that  also  gain  yours  ?  " 

"  It  is  very  doubtful,"  was  the  reply.  "  You 
see  I  haven't  that  innate  predisposition  to  like  you 
which  would  naturally  be  a  family  characteristic." 

'  Jesting  aside,  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Haldane, 
"  I  suppose  that  you  realize  the  tremendous  na- 
ture of  the  undertaking  you  have  set  to  yourself, 
if  you  are  in  earnest." 

"  I  never  was  more  in  earnest  in  my  life.  I 
think  I  realize  perfectly." 

"  Every  vested  influence,  every  political  influ- 
ence, will  be  against  you." 


i32          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Certainly." 

"  And  what  will  be  for  you." 

"  I  shall  be,"  said  Miss  Haldane  impulsively. 

Gormly  bowed.  "  With  you  and  right  on  my 
side,  Miss  Haldane,"  he  said  not  ungracefully, 
"  I  am  sure  of  a  majority." 

"  Don't  delude  yourself,"  continued  the  older 
man  gravely,  "  with  the  belief  that  because  your 
gallant,  if  somewhat  quixotic,  declaration  wins 
the  support  of  a  certain  section  of  the  community, 
which  like  my  daughter  here,  is  made  up  more  or 
less  of  dreamers  and  theorists,  that  you  are  thereby 
making  possible  the  achievement  of  your  desire." 

"  I  think,"  returned  Gormly,  "  that  all  my  life 
I  have  been  something  of  a  dreamer." 

"In  the  dry  goods  business?"  queried  Mrs. 
Haldane,  who  undauntedly  took  occasion  to 
exert  what  she  believed  to  be  the  prerogatives  of 
her  station.  "  Surely  that  is  a  practical  and 
prosaic  business." 

"  Madam,  the  most  practical  and  prosaic,"  said 
Gormly;  "  but  even  in  the  dry  goods  business  one 
may  dream  dreams  and  see  visions.  When  I  was 
a  young  clerk  in  an  obscure  store  on  the  East  Side, 
I  dreamed  of  that  Broadway  building,  and  the 
dream  has  come  true." 

"  The  most  practical  man  on  earth,"  said  Dr. 
Deveaux,  casually,  "  is  the  dreamer  whose  dreams 
are  realized." 

"  And  I  dream  dreams  of  a  regenerated  New 


GORMLY  ANNOUNCES  CANDIDACY  133 

York  as  well,"  continued  Gormly  swiftly.  "  As 
your  husband  says,  madam,  every  organized  force 
will  be  against  me;  but  there  is  one  power  which 
is  above  every  other  force  or  organization  in  com- 
munities like  ours,  if  it  can  only  be  awakened  to 
its  responsibilities  and  made  to  feel  its  force;  and 
that  power  — " 

He  stopped  and  looked  smilingly  at  the  elder 
woman. 

"  Is  the  people,"  cried  her  daughter  with  en- 
thusiasm. "  And  that  power  I  am  sure  you  are 
going  to  have." 

She  stretched  out  her  hand  to  him  impulsively. 
Gormly  took  it,  bowed  over  it,  all  but  kissed  it. 

"  I  am  going  to  try  for  it,  at  least,"  he  said 
smiling  gratefully  at  her. 

"  Sir,"  said  the  quiet  voice  of  the  butler  at 
this  moment,  "  breakfast  is  served." 

"  Breakfast,"  said  Dr.  Deveaux,  "  and  what  it 
stands  for,  the  material,  is  always  an  object  to 
politicians  except  the  very  young  ones." 

"  I  am  veteran  enough,"  answered  Gormly 
genially,  "  to  appreciate  it,  even  though  this  is 
my  first  essay  in  the  field." 

''  We  will  breakfast  with  you,  Mr.  Gormly," 
said  Haldane,  "  on  condition  that  you  will  take 
your  Christmas  dinner  with  us."  He  spoke  with 
the  utmost  geniality  and  cordiality,  in  a  manner 
so  foreign  to  his  usual  bearing  that  his  son  and 
his  wife  looked  at  him  with  amazement.  "  I  am 


134          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

sure,"  continued  the  older  man,  "  that  my  wife 
joins  me  most  heartily  in  this  invitation.  My 
dear—" 

His  voice  took  a  slight  touch  of  sharpness, 
scarcely  perceptible,  but  quite  sufficient  to  awaken 
the  astonished  Mrs.  Haldane  to  action. 

"  Quite  so,"  she  said  vaguely,  not  in  the  least 
understanding  why  the  sacred  portals  of  the  Hal- 
dane home  should  be  opened  to  this  upstart  out- 
sider, this  nouveau  rlche,  especially  on  Christmas 
Day.  She  did  not  know  that  Haldane  intended 
to  fight  this  man  to  the  bitter  end,  and  as  a  pre- 
liminary thereto  he  felt  it  advisable  for  many 
reasons  to  invite  him  to  dinner  —  such  are  the 
conditions  of  modern  war!  "We  should  be 
charmed,  I  am  sure,  if  Mr.  Gormly  would  honor 
us,"  she  continued  as  she  accompanied  him  to- 
ward the  breakfast  room. 

But  Gormly,  though  he  saw  an  interested 
second  to  the  invitation  in  Miss  Haldane's  glance, 
was  wise  enough  to  decline.  He  preferred  to  be 
in  the  position  of  one  who  confers  favors  rather 
than  receives  them  at  this  stage  of  the  game.  He 
was  in  no  way  beholden  to  the  Haldane  family. 
He  had  supported  Miss  Haldane's  enterprises 
m largely;  he  had  been  fortunate  enough  to  be  of 
service  to  them  in  a  rather  unpleasant  situation, 
and  he  preferred  to  let  the  relationship  stand  in 
that  way  —  much  to  Mrs.  Haldane's  relief. 


135 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  OUTS  WOULD  FAIN  TAKE  A  HAND 

*  I  VHE  political  declaration  of  Gormly  was  the 
•*•  sensation  of  the  hour;  the  sensation  of  many 
hours,  in  fact.  It  came  at  exactly  the  right  time. 
The  non-church  going  section  of  New  York,  from 
which  the  larger  part  of  politics  was  unfor- 
tunately recruited  —  the  truly  good  Christian 
being  a  man  who  leaves  the  doing  of  such  duties 
to  his  ungodly  neighbor  as  a  rule  1  —  had  abun- 
dant leisure  to  read  the  papers  on  Christmas 
morning,  and  every  paper  in  the  city  contained 
that  same  announcement  which  Miss  Haldane 
and  the  party  at  the  cottage  had  read  in  The 
Planet. 

Every  paper  contained  also  editorial  comment 
then  and  thereafter.  The  administration  papers 
ridiculed  the  proposition,  endeavored  to  laugh  it 
out  of  court.  Confident  in  their  powers  and  their 
control  of  the  sources  of  power,  they  strove  to 
sneer  away  the  new  challenger  in  the  political 
tournament.  Other  men  possibly  as  high  in 
character  had  announced  themselves  from  time  to 
time  with  similar  platforms.  Their  announce- 
ments had  created  mild  sensations,  their  campaigns 
had  sometimes  created  more  sensations;  but  the  re- 

137 


i38          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

suits  had  invariably  been  defeat.  The  army  of 
grafters-  and  officeholders  —  synonymous  terms ! 
—  rather  imagined  that  the  results  in  this  case 
would  be  exactly  as  before.  The  newspapers 
whose  function  it  was  to  tell  the  babes  and  suck- 
lings of  the  rank  and  file  what  they  ought  to  think 
at  the  behest  of  the  wise  and  prudent,  sought  to 
encourage  this  confidence, —  confidence  of  success 
being  thought  half  the  battle,  although  sometimes 
too  much  of  it  is  half  the  defeat. 

So  the  administration  papers  sought  to  whistle 
the  new  candidate  down  the  wind  of  their  disdain. 
Nevertheless,  since  George  Gormly's  money  was 
as  good  as  anybody  else's  in  New  York,  they  kept 
on  printing  his  communications,  in  which  his  ad- 
vertisemnts  were  alternated  with  his  political 
manifestos. 

The  anti-administration  papers,  and  those 
which  strove  so  far  as  newspapers  could  to  take 
a  dispassionate  view  of  the  situation,  were  unani- 
mous in  their  approval  of  Gormly's  candidacy. 
They  declared  that  his  election  would  be  the  best 
thing  that  could  happen  for  New  York ;  they  were 
also  practically  unanimous  in  their  hopelessness  of 
his  success. 

Gormly  had  carefully  studied  the  situation. 
He  was  not  disappointed  in  the  least  degree. 
He  knew  beforehand  that  some  would  deride, 
others  would  applaud,  and  all  would  disbelieve 
that  he  could  succeed.  He  was  a  man  of  that 
peculiar  American  wit  which  we  call  shrewdness. 


THE  OUTS  WOULD  TAKE  A  HAND      139 

He  had  to  the  full  that  other  quality  known  as 
"  common  "  sense,  because  it  is  so  extremely  rare 
perhaps, —  witty  adjective  from  one  point  of  view, 
since  the  essence  of  wit  is  to  be  found  in  antithesis, 
—  and  he  realized  that  while  such  a  proclamation 
as  he  had  made  would  inevitably  cause  a  tremen- 
dous discussion,  it  would  have  to  be  followed  up 
by  work,  if  it  was  to  be  more  effective  than  a 
flash  in  the  pan.  He  had  learned  that  organiza- 
tion was  the  keynote  of  success,  as  overorganiza- 
tion  was  its  death  knell.  He  knew  that  the  ar- 
rangement which  secured  all  general  principles, 
leaving  the  utmost  liberty  in  details,  was  the  one 
which  was  in  the  end  bound  to  succeed,  provided 
the  factors  upon  whom  dependence  was  to  be 
placed  were  in  any  degree  worthy  of  their  re- 
sponsibilities. 

He  was  also  aware  that  the  native  intelligence 
of  the  community,  even  allowing  for  the  vast 
number  of  ignorant  foreigners  who  were  allowed 
without  let  or  hindrance  to  fill  the  city,  was  very 
high.  The  first  requisite  for  successful  cam- 
paigning, therefore,  he  decided  to  be  education. 
Knowledge,  as  of  old,  is  still  power. 

The  ideal  method  of  enlightening  the  people  to 
the  seriousness  of  the  situation  and  of  convincing 
them  of  their  ability  to  amend  it  was  by  word  of 
mouth.  Gormly  had  never  been  a  public 
speaker.  He  did  not  expect  to  startle  the  world 
with  the  oratory  of  a  Demosthenes,  a  Burke  or  a 
Webster.  He  had  an  idea  that  methods  such  as 


i4o  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

they  practised  were  out  of  date.  Fortunately  he 
had  plenty  of  self  confidence,  and  he  was  quite 
capable  of  presenting  a  situation  in  a  simple,  busi- 
nesslike, way,  so  clearly  that  even  the  ignorant 
could  comprehend  it.  Such  argument  was  the 
more  effective  from  its  very  simplicity  and  from 
the  absence  of  rhetorical  effects. 

He  was  a  man  of  the  most  vigorous  and 
splendid  constitution.  His  habits  of  life  had 
been  of  the  best,  and  he  was  fully  prepared  to 
spend  himself  in  going  from  place  to  place 
throughout  the  city  telling  the  people  the  truth. 
A  few  months  only  would  elapse  before  the 
spring  elections  that  would  determine  the  issue. 
No  matter  how  assiduously  he  campaigned,  he 
could  reach  only  a  portion  of  the  vast  conglomer- 
ation that  made  up  political  New  York.  It 
would  be  necessary  for  him,  therefore,  to  keep 
telling  the  same  story  in  the  different  papers  of 
the  city  to  reach  those  who  did  not  hear  his  voice, 
and  to  drive  home  in  the  minds  of  those  who  had 
heard  what  they  had  listened  to. 

He  was  prepared  to  spend  his  money  as  well  as 
himself  for  this  end.  He  realized  that  under 
present  conditions  a  great  deal  of  money  was 
necessary  to  a  political  campaign,  more  money  as 
a  rule  than  any  one  citizen  could  afford  to  expend. 
Hence  had  arisen  the  necessity  for  an  organiza- 
tion like  the  corrupt  and  contented  Sachem  So- 
ciety, which  could  secure  a  vast  sum  of  money  in 
the  aggregate  from  many  contributors,  ranging 


THE  OUTS  WOULD  TAKE  A  HAND      141 

from  bribes  from  the  corporations  to  the  petty 
blackmail  levied  upon  the  woman  of  the  street; 
and  would,  when  the  election  was  over,  be  able  to 
make  proper  returns  to  those  who  had  contributed 
time,  labor,  or  money  to  insure  the  result. 
Gormly  was  willing  to  spend  his  own  money;  but 
not  for  the  illegimate  purposes  of  campaigning. 
He  resorted  to  the  unusual  expedient  of  pub- 
lishing week  by  week  exactly  what  he  spent  and 
how  it  was  expended,  deploring  at  the  same  time 
in  his  advertisements  and  in  his  public  speeches 
the  necessity  for  spending  any  money  at  all.  He 
pointed  out  that  the  ideal  method  of  settling  such 
a1  question  would  be  the  presentation  of  candi- 
dates, the  submitting  of  platforms,  and  then  the 
unbiased  judgment  of  the  voter.  The  fact  that  he 
had  to  spend  money  in  the  way  he  did  afforded 
him  one  of  the  strongest  arguments  in  favor  of 
his  candidacy. 

Watson,  one  of  the  assistant  general  managers  of 
his  great  institution,  a  tyro  like  Gormly  in  politics, 
but  a  man  of  great  ability  and  acumen,  he  made 
manager  of  his  campaign.  The  party  out  of 
power  through  its  leaders  declared  that  it  in- 
tended to  make  him  its  candidate;  other  smaller 
parties  proposed  to  fall  in  line.  It  was  pointed 
out  by  those  interested  that  indorsement  by  these 
organizations  would  provide  Gormly  with  an  or- 
ganization and  be  of  immense  benefit  in  taking  off 
his  hands  the  details  and  minutiae  of  political  cam- 
paigning, about  which  he  was  supposed  to  know 


i42  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

nothing;  that  it  would  at  once  provide  him  with 
a  respectable  following,  and,  as  they  claimed, 
lend  dignity  to  his  position.  The  purpose  of  this 
political  party,  whose  influence  was  considerable 
and  whose  ramifications  were  many,  whose 
leaders  were  men  of  experience,  was  of  course 
thoroughly  well  known.  It  was  discussed  in  the 
public  press,  and  the  day  and  hour  of  the  forth- 
coming interview  with  Gormly,  offering  him 
their  indorsement,  were  accurately  set  forth. 
His  decision  as  to  these  proffers  of  support  was 
awaited  with  growing  interest  and  excitement. 

The  conference  between  these  leaders  and 
Gormly  was  short,  sharp,  and  decisive.  It  took 
place  in  his  own  business  office.  The  deputation 
was  made  up  of  a  banker  named  Poole,  who 
had  a  certain  prominence  in  municipal  affairs 
through  his  connection  with  the  national  com- 
mittee of  the  party  to  which  he  belonged,  who 
was  a  brilliant  financier,  a  liberal  giver,  and  a 
valuable  member  of  the  opposition;  Benson  the 
real  leader  of  the  party,  the  political  boss  so  far 
as  the  outs  had  anything  to  boss;  and  Fitchett,  an 
attorney  as  bright  as  he  was  unprincipled,  who  as- 
pired to  political  preferment  himself.  The  trio 
met  Gormly  in  his  business  office. 

Poole  was  the  natural  spokesman.  "  Mr. 
Gormly,"  he  began  —  he  had  some  slight  acquaint- 
ance with  Gormly  through  some  minor  financial 
transactions  in  which  his  bank  and  the  Gormly 
store  had  been  involved, — "  I  want  to  make  you 


THE  OUTS  WOULD  TAKE  A  HAND     143 

acquainted  with  Mr.  Benson,  the  chairman  of  our 
municipal  committee,  and  Mr.  Fitchett,  an  at- 
torney of  whom  you  have  doubtless  heard." 

Gormly  shook  hands  with  the  men  mentioned 
and  begged  them  to  be  seated. 

"  We  are,"  began  Poole  impressively,  "  a  com- 
mittee, I  might  say  a  deputation,  from  the  board 
of  management  of  our  political  organization,  who 
have  been  appointed  to  —  ah  —  interview  you 
about  the  mayoralty  situation." 

"  I  am  very  glad  indeed,  gentlemen,  to  see  you, 
and  to  hear  anything  you  may  have  to  say  to  me." 

This  was  an  assumption  of  independence  which 
did  not  promise  well  for  the  interview.  Fitchett 
exchanged  quick  glances  with  the  banker.  Ben- 
son the  boss  audibly  snorted. 

"We  have,"  continued  Poole  with  lofty  dig- 
nity, "  of  course  observed  your  announcement  of 
your  candidacy  in  the  daily  papers."  Gormly 
bowed.  "  We  have  been  struck  with  your  pecu- 
liar availability  for  the  office.  Your  large 
business  interests,  the  fact  that  you  are  so  well 
known  to  the  people  of  New  York,  your  un- 
doubted probity,  the  evidence  of  good  manage- 
ment and  ability  which  we  see  around  us,  and  — 
er— " 

"  The  barrel  that  you  can  tap,"  suggested 
Benson,  whereat  Fitchett  glared  at  him  savagely; 
but  as  there  was  no  table  to  screen  the  movement, 
was  unable  to  kick  him  as  he  desired. 

"  And  in  short,"  continued  Poole  hastily,  striv- 


144 

ing  to  cover  the  unfortunate  interjection,  "  these 
all  convince  us  that  you  are  the  very  man  for 
whom  the  party  has  been  looking.  We  have 
come  here  to  proffer  you  our  support,  and  to  say 
to  you  that  our  convention  which  is  to  be  held 
next  week  will  undoubtedly  make  you  our  candi- 
date, and  indorse  your  platform.  And  in  fine  we 
want  you  to  lead  us." 

"  Your  convention  is  composed  of  deputies 
from  all  the  voting  precincts  of  the  city,  is  it  not, 
who  are  elected  at  regularly  called  primaries?  " 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Well,  how  can  you  three  gentlemen,  or  your 
central  committee  —  which  has  how  many  mem- 
bers?" 

"  A  hundred,'"  replied  Fitchett. 

"  Exactly,  a  hundred.  How  then  can  you 
three  gentlemen,  or  even  the  whole  hundred  of 
you,  forecast  the  action  of  your  convention  which 
has  not  yet  assembled?  " 

"  It's  easy  to  see,  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Benson 
half  pityingly,  "  that  you  don't  know  anything 
about  practical  politics.  The  committee  of  a 
hundred  will  carry  out  the  will  of  the  party  be- 
cause the  will  of  the  party  will  be  the  will  of  the 
committee  of  a  hundred;  and  the  committee  of 
a  hundred  will  carry  out  the  will  of  this  com- 
mittee visiting  you,  because  the  will  of  this  com- 
mittee is  the  will  of  the  committee  of  a  hundred. 
If  I  say  —  I  mean  if  we  say  —  that  our  party 


THE  OUTS  WOULD  TAKE  A  HAND     145 

wants  you  for  Mayor,  you  can  bet  your  last  dollar 
that  you're  the  man  it  wants.  See?" 

"  I  see,"  said  Gormly.  "  In  that  case  why 
have  any  convention  at  all!  Why  have  any 
committee  of  a  hundred?  Why  have  anybody 
but  you,  Mr.  Benson,"  he  stopped  long  enough 
to  make  the  pause  appreciable,  "  and  your  co- 
adjutors? Why  have  any  people,  as  a  matter  of 
fact?  Why  don't  you  and  Mr.  Liffey,  who  I 
believe  holds  a  somewhat  analogous  position  to 
yours  in  the  other  party,  get  together  with  two 
able  coadjutors  like  those  you  have  brought  and 
settle  the  question  what  the  people  are  going  to 
have?" 

"  Well,  Mr.  Gormly,  since  you  put  it  that 
way,"  said  Benson  coolly,  "  if  I  was  a  little 
stronger  than  I  am,  if  this  city  wasn't  so  hope- 
lessly in  Charley  Liffey's  grasp,  that's  about  what 
we'd  do.  Now,  we  think  that  you've  got  certain 
elements  of  strength  with  the  people  that'll  sort  of 
balance  things.  I  don't  know  whether  you  can  be 
elected  or  not.  I'm  speakin'  frankly  now,  gentle- 
men, and  as  a  practical  politician;  but  I  believe 
you're  more  apt  to  be  elected  than  anybody  else, 
if  we  can  get  a  fair  count,  or  count  the  ballots 
ourselves,  which  is  more  or  less  doubtful  with 
Liffey  in  power,  and  therefore  we  want  you  for 
our  candidate,  because  we  think  we  can  win." 

"  How  very  disinterested !  " 

"  Mr.  Benson  puts  it  rather  —  ah  —  forcibly, 


I46  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Mr.  Gormly,"  began  Fitchett  sauvely.  "  Natu- 
rally being  compelled  to  care  for  the  rank  and  file, 
he  thinks  more  of  the  loaves  and  fishes  than  of 
other  matters  of  equal  or  greater  importance.  It 
takes  all  kinds  of  men,  you  know,  to  make  up  a 
political  party.  We  are  here  as  a  matter  of 
principle.  We  believe  that  the  people  have  been 
robbed  by  the  present  administration." 

"  Why,  everybody  in  New  York  knows  it  1  " 
said  Benson  contemptuously.  "  What  are  the 
people  for  but  to  get  robbed,  anyway?  Any 
man  who's  foolish  enough  to  allow  himself  to  be 
robbed  deserves  it." 

"  Mr.  Benson,"  broke  in  Poole,  "  really  the 
discussion  has  taken  a  most  extraordinary  turn. 
For  myself  I  regard  it  as  highly  desirable  that 
the  city  of  New  York,  especially  as  next  year 
there  is  to  be  the  national  election  for  the  presi- 
dency, should  by  all  means  be  brought  over  to 
our  party.  We  think  if  anybody  in  the  city  can 
win  against  the  Sachems,  you  are  he,  Mr.  Gormly, 
and  we  are  prepared  to  back  you  to  the  last  limit. 
I  have  had  some  experience  in  financing  national 
campaigns.  I  should  be  glad  to  put  my  services 
at  your  disposal  in  that  — " 

"  I  also,"  said  Fitchett.  "  I  am  not  a  finan- 
cier, unfortunately;  but  I  am  not  without  ex- 
perience in  organizing  meetings,  speaking,  secur- 
ing a  corps  of  speakers,  and  so  on,  and  I  should 
be  delighted  to  be  associated  with  you  in  this  bat- 
tle for  reform  and  victory." 


THE  OUTS  WOULD  TAKE  A  HAND    147 

"  Now,  gentlemen,"  said  Benson,  "  this  is  all 
very  well  for  the  outside  world.  Of  course  we 
have  to  play  on  the  reform  string  until  all  other 
music  is  drowned  out,  and  of  course  it  stands  to 
reason  we'll  give  the  people  a  better  administra- 
tion than  the  present  one,  if  we  put  'em  out. 
Liffey  has  been  in  power  so  long  that  he  ain't  even 
decent.  He  ain't  willing  to  take  a  fair,  respect- 
able graft;  he  wants  everything.  But  when  it 
comes  down  to  talkin'  business  with  the  candi- 
date in  his  private  office,  the  best  thing  is  the  whole 
truth.  Certainly  it's  important  from  one  point 
of  view  that  we  should  win  this  year.  It  may 
give  us  more  power  in  the  national  convention 
next  year.  If  we  can  deliver  the  goods  in  New 
York  city,  why,  our  voice  is  goin'  to  mean  some- 
thing, our  influence  is  goin'  to  be  worth  some- 
thing, and  that  accounts  for  Mr.  Poole's  presence 
here.  As  for  Mr.  Fitchett,  he's  one  of  the 
brightest  young  lawyers'  we've  got.  He  knows 
which  side  his  bread's  buttered  on.  He  wants  to 
be  district  attorney  and  run  with  you,  and  you 
couldn't  get  a  better  campaigner  to  stand  by  your 
side.  As  for  me,  all  the  power  we've  got,  which 
I  admit  ain't  as  much  as  we'd  ought  to  have,  I 
control.  I  put  it  at  your  disposal.  Now  what  do 
you  say." 

"  I  protest,"  began  Poole  angrily;  while 
Fitchett  bit  his  lip,  but  managed  to  control  him- 
self better  than  the  banker. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Gormly,  "  it  will  hardly  be 


i48  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

necessary  for  you  to  continue  the  interview 
further  on  these  lines." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  exclaimed  Benson. 

"  I  mean  that  while  I  am,  of  course  deeply 
touched  by  your  hearty  and  spontaneous  prom- 
ises of  support  in  this  coming  campaign,  and 
while  I  appreciate  highly  the  honor  that  you  pro- 
pose to  me  of  making  me  your  candidate,  and 
while  I  see  to  the  full  the  significance  of  the  argu- 
ments you  have  severally  brought  forth,  and 
while  I  am,  I  think  able  to  look  at  the  matter  from 
your  point  of  view,  I  regret  to  say  that  I  must 
decline  your  proposition." 

"  What !  "  roared  Benson.  "  You  ain't  goin' 
to  run  then?  " 

"  I  haven't  said  anything  to  that  effect,  have 
I?" 

"  But,"  interposed  Poole,  "you  can't  expect  to 
succeed  without  any  organization  back  of  you. 
Why,  man,  the  ring  that's  against  you,  the  in- 
fluences that  are  opposed  to  you,  both  financial 
and  political,  is  something  that  you  can't  im- 
agine !  " 

"  You  don't  know  the  power  of  Charley  Liffey," 
growled  Benson.  "  Why,  he  could  beat  you  with 
his  eyes  shut.  He  could  beat  me,  and  I'm  no  in- 
fant in  arms  when  it  comes  to  politics,  and  what'd 
you  be  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  began  Fitchett,  "  there  are  a 
vast  number  of  intricate  details  connected  with 
elections  of  which  you  presumably  know  little. 


THE  OUTS  WOULD  TAKE  A  HAND    149 

Not  that  I  disparage  your  knowledge  in  the 
slightest  degree;  but  you  have  evidently  had  no 
experience  in  these  matters.  We  can  supply  you 
with  an  organization  to  take  care  of  them,  and 
your  own  popularity,  which  I  assure  you  if  I  am 
able  to  read  the  public  mind  is  increasingly  grow- 
ing, will  do  the  rest.  It  requires  much  more  than 
a  candidate  and  a  majority  of  votes  to  win  an 
election." 

"  The  ballots  have  got  to  be  counted,"  said 
Benson,  "  and  the  money's  got  to  be  spent. 
That's  one  reason  why  you're  such  an  available 
candidate.  We  could  get  any  number  of  long 
haired  reformers;  but  they  don't  put  up  the  money. 
You're  puttin'  it  up  every  day.  In  common  with 
all  the  rest  of  us,  I  read  those  accounts  you're  pub- 
lishing from  week  to  week,  and  it  makes  me  sick 
to  see  so  much  good  money  goin'  to  waste.  Not 
but  what  it's  doin'  some  good;  but  a  practical 
man  like  myself  could  administer  it  so  much  bet- 
ter. You  could  buy  a  voting  precinct  with  what 
you  spend  on  a  single  ad.  Wastin'  good  money 
on  the  press!  It's  men  you  want  to  buy,  not 
newspapers.  That's  the  reason  Liffey  always  gets 
the  best  of  me.  He's  got  more  money  than  I 
can  get,  consequently  he's  got  the  men.  But  with 
your  own  contributions  and  the  chances  for  suc- 
cess that  you'll  give  us,  there's  lots  of  other  rich 
men  that'd  be  willing  to  take  risks  on  our  gettin' 
in  power." 

"  I   am  not  one  of  those  men,   Mr.   Benson. 


i5o  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

I'll  take  no  chances  whatever  on  your  getting  in 
power." 

"  Well,  it's  got  to  be  Liffey's  crowd  or  ours, 
and  your  fightin'  Liffey's  crowd  from  beginning 
to  end.  Therefore  logically  you  belong  to  us." 

"I  cannot  see  the  force  of  your  reasoning,"  said 
Gormly,  "  and  I  tell  you  here  and  now  that  while 
I  shall  be  very  glad  to  have  the  votes  of  any  or 
every  man  in  New  York,  yet  I  will  be  beholden  to 
no  political  party  in  the  city.  I  have  entered 
this  campaign  as  an  independent.  If  the  people 
wish  to  elect  me,  they  can  do  so;  if  not,  not." 

"  Why,  I  told  you,"  said  Benson  pityingly, 
"that  you  might  get  elected;  but  you've  got  to 
be  counted  in." 

"  If  I  am  elected,"  said  Gormly,  "  you  need 
not  fear  that  I  shall  be  counted  out." 

"  But,  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Poole,  "  you  have  no 
organization." 

"  No  man,"  interposed  Fitchett,  "  can  carry  on 
such  a  campaign  single  handed." 

"Where's  the  rest  of  your  ticket?"  growled 
Benson. 

"  You  have  to  be  a  regular  nominee,"  said 
Poole. 

"  I  shall  be  nominated  by  petition,  gentlemen," 
said  Gormly  coolly.  He  pointed  to  his  desk. 
"  Look  at  that  pile  yonder.  They  are  coming 
in  every  day." 

"  Signed  by  women  and  children  and  cranks,  I 
suppose  1  "  sneered  Benson. 


THE  OUTS  WOULD  TAKE  A  HAND     151 

"  I  have  a  corps  of  young  men,"  answered 
Gormly,  "  who  personally  visit  every  petitioner, 
find  out  if  he  is  a  voter  and  if  he  really  means 
what  he  says  when  he  asks  me  to  run.  Every 
name  is  verified  and  registered." 

"  Well,  I'll  be  damned!  "  cried  Benson  in  great 
amazement. 

"  I  am  afraid  if  you  continue  in  politics  with 
your  present  views  that  you  will  be,"  said  Gormly 
coolly.  "  As  for  organization,  I  have  an  organi- 
zation of  my  own.  I  am  overwhelmed  with  prof- 
fers of  individual  assistance.  The  most  avail- 
able of  those  who  volunteer  are  being  enrolled. 
I  am  meeting  them  frequently.  We  are  discussing 
the  issues  and  preparing  to  hold  meetings  and  send 
out  speakers  all  over  the  city." 

"  Who's  managing  the  game?  " 

"  One  of  my  assistant  managers  in  the  store, 
Mr.  Watson." 

"What's  he  know  about  politics?" 

"  His  experience  compared  with  your  own  has 
been  little,  but  on  different  lines.  He  is  learn- 
ing rapidly,  however,  and  I  think  before  you  get 
through,  you  will  find  him  worthy  of  even  your 
own  steel,  Mr.  Benson." 

"  That's  all  very  well,"  said  the  boss,  greatly 
taken  aback  over  the  situation.  "  It  does  seem 
as  if  somebody's  got  a  head  on  his  shoulders  around 
here." 

"  It  might  be  concluded  that  I  had  myself," 
said  Gormly  genially;  "but  we'll  pass  that  by." 


i52  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  But  in  spite  of  all  these  things,  you'll  be 
beaten  as  sure  as  fate.  I  tell  you,  you've  got 
to  fight  the  devil  with  fire.  Of  course,  while  I 
agree  with  these  gentlemen  here  that  purity  in 
politics,  which  has  been  called  an  iridescent  dream, 
whatever  that  means,  is  to  be  desired,  and  if  we 
could  win  without  money  and  without  resortin'  to 
the  dodges  that  have  made  the  party  in  power  in- 
famous, we'd  be  glad  to  do  it." 

"  Certainly,  of  course,"  said  Poole  and  Fitchett 
immediately. 

"  But  as  it  is,  it  can't  be  done.  Now,  every 
man  is  supposed  to  be  in  politics  for  what  there 
is  in  it,  and  I've  lived  long  enough  to  know  that 
the  supposition  is  mainly  true.  What  you're  in 
it  for,  we  don't  quite  know,  but  admitting  that 
you're  more  or  less  disinterested,  so  are  we.  Ain't 
that  so,  gentlemen?" 

"  Certainly,  certainly,  to  be  sure." 

"  And  therefore  we  offer  you  our  assistance." 

"  I  accept  your  offer,  as  I  accept  the  offer  of 
every  good  citizen,  but  I  cannot  permit  myself  to 
be  allied  with  any  political  party,  or  to  be  known 
specifically  as  the  nominee  of  that  party." 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Benson  after  a  long 
pause,  "  what's  to  prevent  us  from  nominatin'  you 
anyway,  and  makin'  you  the  nominee  of  our  party." 

"  Nothing  that  I  know  of  can  prevent  your 
doing  such  a  thing;  but  nothing  can  force  me  to 
accept  your  nomination.  I  shall  simply  say  in  that 
case  that  while  I  appreciate  the  honor  you  do  me, 


yet  I  refuse  positively  to  be  considered  as  the 
nominee  of  any  political  party  whatsoever." 

"  And  s'pose  Charley  Liffey  should  turn  round 
and  nominate  you  too?" 

"  My  answer  would  be  just  the  same.  I  am 
going  to  be  elected,  if  elected  at  all,  as  an  absolute 
independent  by  the  vote  of  the  people,  no  more 
and  no  less." 

"  But  Mr.  Gormly  — "  began  the  banker. 

"  Mr.  Poole,  excuse  me;  it  is  quite  useless  to 
talk  to  me  any  more  on  this  line.  My  mind  is 
made  up,  and  nothing  you  can  say,  or  anyone 
can  say,  will  change  it.  I  repeat  that  I  thank  you 
for  your  expressions  of  interest;  I  shall  appreciate 
your  individual  votes,  but  that  I  cannot  and  will 
not  under  any  circumstances  accept  a  nomination 
at  your  hands,  or  at  the  hands  of  anybody  else." 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Benson,  rising,  contempt 
and  resentment  striving  for  the  mastery  of  his 
voice,  "  in  some  ways  you're  a  mighty  smart  man. 
You  have  begun  this  movement  brilliantly.  If 
you  had  something  to  back  you  up  and  carry  you 
on,  and  had  somebody  to  spend  your  money,  you 
could  be  elected;  but  the  position  you're  takin' 
now  makes  me  regard  you  as,  you'll  forgive  the 
language,  a  damned  fool !  " 

"  Mr.  Benson,"  said  Gormly,  "  thank  you  for 
your  compliment.  Your  opinion  does  me  honor, 
at  least  the  last  part  of  it.  Let  me  say  that  I 
have  been  something  of  a  student  of  history.  It 
is  the  men  who  have  been  considered  by  politicians 


i54  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

of  your  stamp  as  damned  fools  who  have  done 
the  good  work  of  the  world.  Mr.  Poole,  Mr. 
Fitchett,  I  wish  you  good  afternoon." 

The  disgusted  delegation  tramped  out;  Ben- 
son full  of  wrath,  his  red  face  expressive  of  his 
fury;  Fitchett  uneasy  and  undecided;  Poole  with 
every  ounce  of  his  dignity  outraged  beyond  repair. 
The  three  men  had  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  report- 
ers outside  the  business  office.  They  com- 
municated nothing  whatsoever  of  the  results  of 
their  interview  to  these  assiduous  young  men. 

Gormly,  however,  was  more  amenable  to  their 
appeals  for  an  interview.  On  the  heels  of  the 
delegation,  they  swarmed  into  his  office.  One 
resolution  Gormly  had  taken;  to  give  the  people 
the  fullest  information  all  the  time  about  what  he 
proposed.  He  was  willing  to  discuss  any  public 
question  at  any  time  with  anyone,  and  he  had  no 
objections  to  his  opinions  being  quoted.  The  man 
who  makes  many  speeches  and  submits  to  many 
interviews  is  usually  apt  to  make  mistakes  sooner 
or  later.  That  Gormly  made  no  mistakes  was, 
to  the  thoughtful,  as  much  an  evidence  of  his 
qualities,  as  anything  else  in  his  career. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Gormly  to  the  group  of 
newspaper  men,  "  as  has  already  appeared  in  the 
press  of  the  city,  these  gentlemen  who  have  just 
left  came  to  offer  me  the  nomination  of  the  mi- 
nority party  for  the  office  for  which  I  have  pro- 
posed myself.  I  thanked  them  for  the  honor 


THE  OUTS  WOULD  TAKE  A  HAND     155 

that  they  had  done  me;  I  declared  that  I  should 
appreciate  the  individual  votes  of  any  members  of 
that  or  any  other  party  at  election  time;  but  I 
refused  positively  to  allow  myself  to  be  tied  up 
to  any  party,  to  be  allied  with  any  party,  to  be 
the  candidate  of  any  party.  I  intend  to  make  this 
canvass  as  an  absolute  independent." 

"  Isn't  Mr.  Poole  a  stockholder  in  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company?"  asked  one  of  the 
reporters. 

"  I  know  nothing  whatever  about  Mr.  Poole's 
financial  undertakings." 

"  Doesn't  Lawyer  Fitchett  desire  to  run  for 
district  attorney?"  asked  another. 

"  I  am  not  informed  as  to  the  political  ambi- 
tions of  Mr.  Fitchett." 

"  What  did  Bill  Benson  say  to  you?  "  asked  a 
third. 

"  As  a  practical  politician  of  large  experience,  he 
ventured  to  give  me  some  advice  upon  the  con- 
duct of  my  campaign." 

"Did  you  take  it?"  asked  another  amid  the 
roar  of  laughter  which  greeted  this  reply. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  the  cogency  of  his  ar- 
guments and  the  force  of  his  representations  did 
not  appeal  to  me  as  he  expected.  My  methods 
are  so  different  from  those  he  advocated  that  it 
is  hardly  possible  to  harmonize  our  views  or 
practices." 

"  Good  for  you ! "  broke  out  an  enthusiastic 


156  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

cub  reporter,  who  had  not  learned  that  the  ex- 
pression of  emotion  by  a  newspaper  man  anywhere 
except  in  his  paper  is  bad  form. 

"  I  think  that  will  be  all  this  afternoon,  gentle- 
men," said  Gormly,  rising  to  signify  that  the  in- 
terview was  over. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

A   QUIET   MEETING  OF   THE   DICTATORS 

ARLY  in  the  new  year,  at  the  instance  of  Hal- 
dane,  whose  connection  with  the  administra- 
tion and  the  party  in  power  was  no  less  definite 
and  vital  because  it  was  entirely  secret,  a  meeting 
of  the  inner  circle  of  the  governing  body,  popularly 
known  as  "  The  Ring,"  was  called  at  his  private 
residence  on  upper  Fifth  Avenue,  which  he  very 
unobtrusively  reoccupied  for  the  occasion.  The 
meeting  was  held  late  at  night.  The  men  sum- 
moned thereto  came  up  town  quietly  and  unosten- 
tatiously slipped  into  the  house.  No  notice  was 
taken  of  it,  and  no  mention  of  it  got  abroad 
through  any  of  the  papers,  especially  since  it  was 
known  that  Haldane  was  not  in  residence. 

For  many  reasons  Haldane's  relation  to  the 
Sachem  Society  was  carefully  concealed.  He 
represented  a  distinct  group  of  financiers  and  busi- 
ness interests  whose  relations  with  the  party  in 
power  were  most  intimate.  These  relations  in 
some  instances  were  suspected,  but  their  actuality 
had  not  been  allowed  to  transpire.  Haldane  kept 
in  constant  touch  with  Liffey  the  boss;  but  no 
one,  save  the  inner  circle,  suspected  that  the  two 
were  hand  in  glove  together. 

157 


i58  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Haldane  did  not  often  meet  with  anyone  but 
Liffey.  In  this  instance,  however,  he  at  least  ap- 
preciated the  gravity  of  the  situation,  and  had 
directed  Liffey  to  bring  with  him  those  whose  ad- 
vice would  naturally  be  sought  on  such  subjects 
as  he  desired  to  discuss.  He  had  also  assembled 
two  of  the  directors  of  the  Gotham  Freight  Trac- 
tion Company,  to  wit,  Van  Slyke  and  McRonald, 
men  associated  with  him  upon  whose  judgment 
and  ability  he  could  rely.  In  addition  to  them 
came  Liffey,  Grand  Chief  of  the  Sachem  Society 
and  the  acknowledged  and  undisputed  boss  of  the 
party;  Connell,  the  Chief  of  Police;  Rutherford, 
the  District  Attorney ;  Habberley,  the  Street  Com- 
missioner; and  last  and  also  least,  the  Hon.  Peter 
D.  Warren,  Mayor  of  the  city. 

These  men  fairly  represented  the  municipal  ad- 
ministration and  control.  They  formed  the  most 
powerful  ring  for  the  carrying  on  of  public  affairs 
for  their  own  profit  that  had  ever  been  welded 
together  by  brilliant  ability,  taking  complete  and 
thorough  advantage  of  the  supineness  of  the  peo- 
ple. Liffey,  as  leader  of  the  great  Sachem  So- 
ciety, controlled  the  organization  absolutely.  The 
Chief  of  Police  wielded  the  vast  powers  for  graft 
of  that  remarkable  organization.  The  District 
Attorney,  through  whose  hands  all  criminal  prose- 
cutions must  pass,  was  the  safety  valve  of  both  the 
Sachem  Society  and  that  portion  of  the  people  to 
which  it  looked  for  support.  The  Street  Com- 
missioner, who  had  at  his  disposal  more  appoint- 


A  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS      159 

ments  than  all  the  rest  of  the  administration  put 
together,  used  them  primarily  for  the  good  of  the 
party  and  after  that  for  cleaning  the  streets. 

The  Mayor,  the  ostensible  head  but  really  the 
servant  of  the  quartet,  was  there  because  of  his 
office,  and  he  was  in  office  because  he  could  be 
controlled.  From  the  point  of  view  of  the  men 
present,  he  was  the  best  Mayor  that  New  York 
had  ever  had.  He  was  a  man  of  some  parts. 
He  could  make  a  brilliant  speech,  preside  grace- 
fully and  with  dignity  at  public  meetings,  and  was 
altogether  an  admirable  figure  to  head  a  great  city 
in  everything  but  morals.  Morals  in  politics  did 
not  count;  at  least  the  absence  of  them  did  not 
count  in  that  coterie  and  what  it  represented. 

Associated  with  these  four  intensely  practical 
men  and  this  pliant,  willing  figurehead  were  the 
interests  represented  by  the  Gotham  Freight  Trac- 
tion Company,  of  which  Haldane  was  in  absolute 
control,  although  the  presidency  was  vested  in  an- 
other man.  The  interests  of  Haldane  and  his  as- 
sociates were  not  confined  to  the  Gotham  Freight 
Traction  Company.  They  had  their  hands  on 
every  public  franchise.  Their  private  affairs,  of 
course,  were  vast  and  multiform;  but  with  them  we 
have  nothing  to  do.  Their  alliance  with  the  po- 
litical party,  for  which  they  had  paid  and  would 
continue  to  pay  enormous  sums,  had  brought  them 
very  material  advantages  in  one  form  or  another. 
Without  the  privity  of  the  public  they  were  be- 
hind every  possible  public  utility.  The  combina- 


160          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

tion  was  the  most  inclusive  and  comprehensive  of 
any  that  the  world  had  ever  seen.  All  the  trusts 
that  make  New  Jersey  their  headquarters  hardly 
equaled  in  wealth  and  control  the  organizations 
these  men  represented. 

They  were  practical  men  who  had  no  scruples 
about  availing  themselves  of  the  opportunities  af- 
forded by  their  alliance  with  the  party  in  power 
—  that  is  why  they  were  in  alliance  with  it !  They 
would  have  scorned  to  have  descended  in  person  to 
the  low  and  devious  levels  made  necessary  by  prac- 
tical politics;  but  they  had  no  hesitation  whatever 
in  suborning  these  methods  by  paying  largely  for 
the  privileges  they  sought  to  enjoy.  I  said  they 
paid;  of  course  in  the  end  it  was  the  people  who 
paid  —  the  people  always  ultimately  pay  —  and 
that  the  payment  was  made  in  small  sums  by  in- 
dividuals neither  decreased  the  enormous  aggre- 
gate nor  altered  the  fact  that  the  long  suffering 
public  footed  the  bills. 

The  alliance  of  this  great  financial  ability  with 
this  remarkable  capacity  for  political  manipulation 
constituted,  it  was  fondly  believed,  an  impregnable 
defense  to  any  attack  from  outside  sources.  The 
people  were  as  helpless  as  children  in  the  grasp 
of  a  giant;  not  because  the  people  lacked  power, 
but  because  they  had  no  adequate  knowledge  of  the 
power  they  enjoyed  or  how  to  use  it.  They  lacked 
leadership,  and  leadership  combined  with  financial 
ability  necessary  to  make  the  leadership  tell. 
There  was  plenty  of  money  in  the  opposition  and 


A  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS      161 

there  was  plenty  of  leadership;  but  somehow  or 
other  they  never  got  together.  The  clever  ma- 
nipulators of  the  Ring  saw  that  this  separation  was 
maintained. 

Haldane,  from  his  one  interview  with  Gormly, 
had  an  idea  that  in  this  instance  the  two  forces  to 
be  dreaded  by  the  Ring  were  incarnated  in  Gormly 
and  would  rally  about  Gormly.  Hence  he  had 
taken  the  unprecedented  step  of  calling  these  men 
together  to  deliberate  on  the  situation  and  decide 
what  was  best  to  be  done.  Now,  of  course,  every- 
one of  those  present  had  read  Gormly's  startling 
announcements  of  his  candidacy.  Most  of  them 
had  read  them  with  amusement;  only  the  most 
prescient  with  any  feeling  of  alarm,  and  even  that 
feeling  was  not  sufficiently  deep  to  have  awakened 
any  special  degree  of  anxiety.  Yet  the  fact  that 
each  one  had  been  summoned  to  Haldane's  house, 
the  politicians  through  Liffey  and  the  financiers 
through  Haldane  himself,  rather  startled  them. 

The  election  was  four  months  off.  The  party 
in  power  —  the  Sachem  Society,  rather  —  had 
done  nothing  toward  nominating  a  candidate  or 
considering  the  campaign.  The  primaries  were 
held  later  in  the  spring,  and  there  was  always 
sufficient  time  allowed  thereafter  to  go  through 
the  farce  of  an  election.  Gormly's  announcement, 
however,  had  precipitated  the  question,  and  im- 
mediate action  was  required. 

The  eight  men  assembled  in  the  spacious  library 
of  the  Fifth  Avenue  house.  The  curtains  were 


162  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

discreetly  drawn.  The  men  had  arrived  singly 
and  at  different  times.  They  were  admitted  by 
Haldane's  confidential  secretary  in  person.  Cigars 
and  liquors  were  provided,  and  the  eight,  from 
all  sorts  of  differing  social  ranks,  mingled  freely 
together  on  terms  of  absolute  equality. 

The  District  Attorney,  for  instance,  was  a 
graduate  of  Yale.  Haldane  himself  had  come 
from  Harvard.  The  Mayor  was  a  product  of 
Columbia.  Liffey  had  started  in  as  a  poor  Irish 
immigrant.  The  Chief  of  Police  had  been  a 
saloon  keeper  and  finally  the  Colonel  of  a  National 
Guard  regiment.  McRonald  was  a  Scotsman 
whose  shrewdness  and  ability  had  won  him  a  high 
position  among  the  financial  magnates.  Van 
Slyke  belonged  to  an  old  Dutch  family  and  had 
inherited  a  vast  fortune,  which  his  adroit  manage- 
ment had  tremendously  increased.  They  repre- 
sented American  life  with  its  opportunities  and  its 
possibilities. 

Morally  they  were  pretty  much  of  a  stamp. 
The  lesser  men  were  no  whit  more  immoral  than 
the  greater.  The  greater  men,  however,  were 
more  legal  than  the  lesser.  There  was  no  pre- 
tense whatever  between  them.  Matters  were  dis- 
cussed and  referred  to  exactly  as  they  were  on 
the  rare  occasions  when  they  met  together.  This, 
it  was  felt  from  Haldane's  first  word,  was  an  un- 
usual situation  in  which  the  utmost  frankness  of 
speech  was  demanded. 

"  Gentlemen,"  began  Haldane  quietly,  "  I  have 


A  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS      163 

called  you  here,  as  you  have  doubtless  surmised, 
because  of  the  announcement  of  the  candidacy  of 
George  Gormly  for  Mayor." 

"  Do  you  think  it's  of  sufficient  importance,  Mr. 
Haldane,  for  such  an  unusual  conference  as  this 
is?  "  asked  the  boss. 

"  I  certainly  do,  Liffey,"  was  the  reply. 

The  difference  in  station  and  in  position  was 
marked  by  the  two  forms  of  address.  Haldane 
was  always  "  Mr.  Haldane " ;  Liffey  was  al- 
ways "  Liffey."  I  should  not  like  to  say  which 
was  the  more  powerful;  it  would  be  difficult  to 
decide:  Yet  Haldane,  if  anyone,  had  the  ad- 
vantage; for  Liffey  took  Haldane's  money  and 
did  his  dirty  work.  Yet  Liffey  was  not  without 
a  certain  independence;  for  thousands  who  knew 
nothing  whatever  of  the  capitalist  would  be  quick 
to  do  the  henchman's  bidding.  Money  in  politics 
without  a  man  is  more  or  less  useless.  If  a  break 
came,  for  a  certain  period  at  least  Liffey  could 
still  retain  control  of  his  men;  whereas  Haldane 
would  find  it  extremely  difficult  to  get  another  man 
of  the  ability  and  unscrupulousness  of  Liffey  by 
whatever  expenditure  of  money  he  chose  to  make. 
Therefore,  though  Haldane  occupied  a  place  of 
leadership,  his  authority  and  position  were  none 
too  well  assured.  Liffey  paid  him  the  outward 
respect  indicated,  but  otherwise  met  him  on  an 
entire  parity. 

"  It  isn't  the  first  time,"  said  Rutherford,  a 
man  of  exceptional  ability  and  great  distinction 


164  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

of  manner  and  bearing,  "  that  some  impracticable 
reformer  has  offered  himself  for  popular  suffrage 
on  such  a  platform." 

"  But  it  is  the  first  time  in  my  recollection,"  re- 
turned Haldane,  "  that  a  man  possessing  the  pe- 
culiar combination  of  business  ability,  unquestioned 
integrity,  and  unlimited  money  has  put  himself 
forward." 

"What's  he  know  about  practical  politics?" 
growled  the  Chief  of  Police. 

"What  sort  of  an  organization  has  he  got?" 
asked  Habberley,  the  Street  Commissioner. 

"  I  don't  think  he  knows  anything  about  prac- 
tical politics,"  answered  Haldane,  "  as  you  gentle- 
men understand  the  term,  and  I  am  sure  that  he 
has  no  organization  whatever." 

"  Of  course,"  remarked  the  Mayor,  "  he  can 
have  an  organization  whenever  he  wants  one. 
The  outs  will  be  glad  to  take  him  up  if  he  is  as 
available  a  man  as  you  think  he  is." 

"  That  goes  without  saying,"  was  the  answer, 
"  and  I  beg  to  assure  you  that  I  consider  him  the 
most  available  man  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
opposition  that  has  ever  appeared  on  the  political 
horizon." 

"  I  don't  care  a  cuss  how  available  he  is,"  said 
Liffey.  "  We  can  beat  him,  and  we  will.  Of 
course,  it'll  take  more  money." 

He  looked  significantly  at  the  trio  of  financiers. 
"  The  amount  of  money  that  it  takes  now," 
said  McRonald  grimly,  "  is  something  terrific." 


A  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS      165 

"  I  should  say  so,"  added  Van  Slyke. 

;t  Well,  you  get  what  you  bargain  for,  don't 
you?"  returned  the  boss  viciously.  "You  get  a 
free  hand  to  take  it  out  of  the  people,  don't 
you?" 

"  Gentlemen,  gentlemen,"  said  Haldane  au- 
thoritatively, "  I  hardly  think  the  discussion  is 
taking  a  profitable  turn.  Doubtless,  as  Liffey 
says,  we  can  beat  him;  certainly  we  must  do  so. 
Probably  it  will  cost  more  money;  that  is,  if  in 
some  way  his  candidacy  cannot  be  headed  off." 

"  Can  he  be  induced  to  withdraw,  do  you 
think?  "  asked  Rutherford. 

"No,  I  think  not;  but  if  we  made  him  some 
concessions  it  is  barely  possible  he  might,  though 
I  gravely  doubt  it.  He's  all  stirred  up  over  this 
switch  business.  I  have  already  taken  upon  my- 
self to  offer  to  use  my  influence  to  get  the  price 
demanded  cut  in  half." 

"  What  did  he  say  to  that?  "  asked  the  Mayor. 
"  Five  hundred  thousand  is  a  pretty  good  price 
for  any  man." 

His  own  price  was  much  less,  by  the  way. 

"  He  declined  the  offer  immediately.  I  think 
he  said  he  wouldn't  pay  anything  except  the  cost 
of  the  switch  and  a  reasonable  sum  —  forty  thou- 
sand dollars  —  for  the  privilege." 

"  I  want  you  to  mark,  Mr.  Haldane,"  put  in 
Liffey,  "  that  if  we're  mixed  up  in  a  fight,  it's 
the  extortionate  demands  of  the  Gotham  Freight 
Traction  Company  which  has  brought  it  about." 


1 66 

"  My  dear  sir,"  answered  Haldane  contempt- 
uously, "  how  are  we  to  satisfy  the  demands  made 
upon  us  by  you  and  your  fellow  members  of  the 
Sachem  Society  and  make  a  profit  for  ourselves 
out  of  the  matter,  if  we  don't  make  men  like 
Gormly  pay  heavily?" 

"  That's  your  lookout." 

"  Well,  you  will  find  that  it's  also  yours  if  we 
stop  payments." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know.  I  guess  there's  others 
that'd  be  glad  to  enjoy  the  franchises." 

"  Now,  Liffey,"  said  the  District  Attorney, 
who  perhaps  from  his  official  position  as  public 
prosecutor  had  more  influence  over  the  boss  than 
anybody  present,  "  don't  talk  like  a  fool !  You 
know  perfectly  well  that  we  are  all  necessary  to 
one  another;  that  we  are  all  in  the  same  boat; 
we  all  have  to  fight  the  same  battle.  Have  you 
anything  to  propose,  Mr.  Haldane?" 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  have  any  definite  proposi- 
tion just  at  present,"  was  the  answer.  "  I'm  not 
sure  that  we  could  decide  upon  any  particular 
course  of  action.  The  situation  seemed  to  me  to 
present  possibilities  of  sufficient  gravity  to  warrant 
us  in  considering  it  together,  and  perhaps  our 
united  wisdom  may  enable  us  to  come  to  the  right 
conclusion  as  to  what's  to  be  done.  I  have  met 
this  Gormly.  I  have  —  er  — as  you  would  say, 
sized  him  up  carefully;  I  put  him  down  for  a  man 
of  indomitable  courage.  Whatever  his  motive 
may  be,  he  is  thoroughly  determined  upon  his 


A  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS      167 

course.  However  small  his  experience  in  politics, 
he  is  a  business  man  through  and  through." 

"  Mr.  McRonald  and  I  have  had  business  re- 
lations with  him,"  said  Van  Slyke,  "  and  there  is 
not  an  abler  business  man  in  the  city." 

"  Does  he  dabble  in  Wall  Street?  "  asked  War- 
ren. "If  so,  it  would  be  easy  for  you  to  form  a 
combination  to  break  him." 

"  His  business  methods  are  confined  to  his  mer- 
cantile establishment,  and  they  are  purely  legiti- 
mate." 

"  What  resources  has  he  got?  " 

'*  Well,  I  should  say  he  can  command  perhaps 
a  score  of  millions." 

"Whew!  "  exclaimed  Liffey.  "  He  might  be 
a  good  man  to  tie  to." 

"  You  can  set  your  mind  at  rest  as  to  that, 
Liffey.  He  wouldn't  tie  to  a  man  like  you." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know.  Pretty  good  men  have 
found  it  to  their  interests  to  tie  up  with  me,  and 
they  haven't  lost  anything  by  it.  Have  you,  Mr. 
Haldane?" 

Haldane  locked  his  teeth.  It  was  this  sort  of 
covert  insult  which  was  the  necessary  concomitant 
of  his  alliance  which,  in  his  secret  heart,  he  loathed. 
Again  it  was  the  District  Attorney  who  inter- 
posed. 

"  I  take  it  that  this  is  a  conference,"  he  said 
equably,  "  as  to  what  we  are  to  do,  if  anything, 
to  head  off  this  man.  You  don't  think  he  can  be 
bought  off,  Mr.  Haldane?  " 


1 68  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  I  am  sure  he  cannot  be." 

"Well  then,  he'll  have  to  be  fought  down," 
returned  the  other;  "  for  it  is  evident  that  we  can- 
not afford  —  and  I  mean  you  especially,  Liffey 
—  to  have  the  workings  of  the  Sachem  Society 
brought  before  the  public." 

"  I'm  in  no  deeper  than  the  rest  of  you," 
growled  the  boss. 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  the  District  Attorney  coolly, 
"  you  happen  to  be  the  man  who  does  the  dirty 
work." 

"  The  rest  of  you  pay  for  it." 

"  Yes,  quite  so ;  but  it's  the  man  that  fills  your 
position  that  usually  gets  in  trouble  when  trouble 
comes.  Therefore,  it  would  be  just  as  well  for 
you  to  be  a  little  more  civil  in  your  remarks,  I 
think.  It  is  just  possible  that  the  grand  jury 
might  take  cognizance  of  them  if  they  were 
heard." 

"  I  could  break  you,  Rutherford,"  said  Liffey 
fiercely,  "  at  the  next  election.  You  wouldn't 
have  votes  enough  to  be  counted." 

"  Probably,  certainly,"  returned  Rutherford  in 
his  usual  imperturbable  manner;  "  but  before  that 
time  you  wouldn't  be  in  a  position  to  count  any- 
thing but  bars,  not  the  kind  you  get  drinks  over 
either." 

"  Gentlemen,  gentlemen,"  said  Warren,  "  as 
Mayor  of  the  city  — " 

"You  Mayor!"  sneered  Liffey,  now  thor- 
oughly aroused  and  in  an  ugly  mood.  ''  Hell!  " 


A  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS      169 

"  Well,"  said  Haldane  peremptorily  asserting 
himself  at  last,  "  I  think  we've  had  just  about 
enough  of  this.  I  am  sure  everybody's  good 
sense  will  see  that  there  is  nothing  to  be  gained 
by  this  recrimination.  There  will  be  time  enough 
for  that  when  we  have  failed.  The  thing  to 
be  done  now  is  to  get  together,  keep  together,  and 
beat  Gormly." 

"  You  think  he's  got  a  chance,  do  you  ?  " 

"  More  than  a  chance." 

"  But  we  control  everything." 

"  Everything  but  Gormly,  apparently,"  an- 
swered Van  Slyke. 

"  Yes,"  said  Rutherford,  disregarding  the  last 
remark;  "but  you  know,  Liffey,  our  control  rests 
largely  upon  the  indifference  of  the  people.  If 
they  get  waked  up,  it  would  go  like  that." 

He  snapped  his  finger  as  he  spoke,  and  no  man 
contradicted  him,  for  true  it  is  that  on  the  indiffer- 
ence of  the  many  is  founded  the  power  of  the 
one. 

"  We  could  still  count  the  votes,"  said  the  Chief 
of  Police  uncertainly. 

"Undoubtedly;  but  if  there  are  enough  people 
interested  in  the  affair,  the  votes  will  be  counted 
as  cast." 

"  And  we  have  the  courts  on  our  side,"  added 
Habberley. 

"Yes,  to  a  certain  extent;  but  there  are  limits 
beyond  which  even  our  own  Judges  could  not  go. 
Therefore,  if  Mr.  Haldane's  estimate  of  Gormly 


i7o          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

is  correct,  and  for  myself  I  am  rather  inclined  to 
believe  that  it  is,  we  are  face  to  face  with  a  ter- 
rific proposition." 

"  Besides,"  put  in  Van  Slyke,  "  if  he  gets  the 
nomination  of  the  outs,  which  he  certainly  will, 
he'll  have  about  as  shrewd  a  body  of  men  around 
him,  who  are  accustomed  to  the  manipulations 
of  practical  politics,  as  we  have.  Benson's  no 
fool,  whatever  he  is." 

"  If  necessary,"  said  Liffey,  "  I  can  fix  Benson 
all  right." 

"  Well,  we  don't  like  alliances  of  that  kind," 
said  Rutherford.  "  It  means  division,  and  we've 
got  enough  to  divide  among  as  it  is.  Don't  you 
agree  with  me,  Mr.  Haldane?  " 

"  I  certainly  do,  Mr.  Rutherford." 

"  Well  then,"  said  Liffey,  "  I  think  the  best 
thing  to  do,  if  you  gents  are  all  agreed  that  it's 
serious,  is  to  pitch  upon  a  candidate.  We  want 
to  have  a  man  that's  entirely  respectable,  and  yet 
who  knows  which  side  his  bread's  buttered  on  and 
who'll  take  care  of  the  organization." 

"  I  think,"  said  Warren  tentatively,  "  that  I 
have  earned  another  term.  I  certainly  haven't 
failed  in  my  duty — " 

"  To  the  people  ?  "  asked  Rutherford. 

"  To  the  organization,"  answered  the  Mayor 
with  dignity,  "  and  my  private  character  is  all 
that  could  be  desired." 

Liffey  snorted  with  disdain. 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Warren,  undoubtedly  you  are 


A  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS     171 

very  available.  Whether  or  not  you  are  the  most 
available  is  the  question,"  interposed  McRonald. 

"  We  ought  to  get  some  man  of  the  highest 
consideration,  who  belongs  to  a  most  respectable 
family,  and  yet  who's  amenable  to  the  right  pres- 
sure. How'd  you  do  yourself,  Mr.  Haldane?" 
asked  the  boss  innocently,  if  bosses  can  ever  ask 
anything  in  that  vein. 

What  Haldane  thought  of  this  request  could 
hardly  be  determined  from  his  imperturbable 
countenance. 

"  Under  no  consideration,"  he  said,  decisively, 
"  could  I  accept  the  honor.  My  interests,  our 
interests,  are  too  vast  for  me  to  localize  them  by 
becoming  Mayor  of  New  York." 

"  Haven't  you  got  a  son?  "  asked  Connell,  the 
Chief  of  Police.  "  He'd  have  all  the  advantages 
of  name  and  station  and  so  on  that  you  would, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  he'd  do  pretty  much  what 
you  said,  and  I'm  sure  you'd  say  what  was  best 
for  us  all." 

"  I  think  that  would  be.  an  excellent  idea," 
chimed  in  Rutherford.  "  How  old  is  your  young- 
ster, Haldane?" 

"  He's  twenty-eight." 

"  Never  done  anything  in  his  life,  has  he?  " 

"  Do  you  mean  in  business,  or  any  other  way?  " 

"  Anything  he's  got  to  cover  up  I  mean." 

"  Nothing,  I  believe,"  answered  the  father. 
"  He's  been  a  lively  lad ;  but  nothing  dishonorable 
that  I  am  aware  of." 


172          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  You  can  bank  on  it,  gents,"  said  the  Chief  of 
Police,  "  that  if  he  had  done  anything  shady,  I'd 
have  heard  of  it.  He's  clean  and  straight  and 
popular  with  all  sorts  of  people.  I  think  he'd 
make  a  first  rate  candidate." 

"  This  hadn't  occurred  to  me  at  all,  I  confess," 
said  Haldane;  "  but  it's  worth  considering.  Way 
back  in  the  early  days  when  it  was  a  matter  of 
much  less  moment  financially  but  of  much  more 
standing  politically,  several  of  my  family  have 
filled  similar  positions." 

"  He's  the  very  man  we  want, —  young, 
enthusiastic,  inexperienced,  rich,  controllable. 
Where  is  he  now  ?  "  asked  Rutherford. 

"  He's  down  on  Long  Island  at  my  country 
place." 

"  Can  you  get  in  communication  with  him  by 
telephone?  " 

"  I  think  so." 

"  Suppose  you  call  him  up  and  ask  him  whether 
or  not,  if  he  got  the  nomination,  he  would  run." 

"  I  will.  Excuse  me,  gentlemen,"  said  Hal- 
dane, going  out  into  the  hall  where  one  of  the 
duplicate  telephones  was  installed. 

He  did  not  care  to  do  his  telephoning  in  the 
library  before  the  group  of  conspirators. 

"  I  think,"  protested  Warren  as  Haldane  closed 
the  door  behind  him,  "  that  this  is  a  shame.  You 
promised  me  that  if  I  made  a  satisfactory  Mayor, 
I  should  have  the  refusal  of  the  office  again,  and 


A  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS      173 

I'd  like  to  know  what  I've  done  that  you  should 
throw  me  down?  " 

"  Promises,"  said  Liffey,  "  dont  go  in  politics 
longer  than  it's  agreeable,  as  you  very  well  know. 
We  ain't  throwing  you  down,  either.  You'll  be 
provided  for  doubtless  in  some  way,  and  maybe 
this  young  Haldane  ain't  the  most  available  man 
after  all.  We're  not  committed  to  him  yet.  For 
myself,  I'm  kind  of  tired  of  the  old  man's  airs 
and  domineerin'  methods." 

"  I  wonder  if  the  day  will  not  come  when  your 
underlings  will  be  tired  of  your  domineering  airs 
and  methods  too?  "  queried  Rutherford. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  imply  that  I  am  an  under- 
ling of  Haldane's,  Bill  Rutherford?  "  began  Liffey 
furiously. 

"  Why,  you're  the  servant  of  every  man  you 
bribe  or  who  bribes  you.  We  all  are,  for  that 
matter,"  returned  Rutherford,  cynically.  "  We 
sell  ourselves  when  we  buy  others,  and  the  price 
we  get  is  just  what  we  give." 

This  philosophy  was  too  much  for  the  boss  and 
his  satellites,  although  it  was  evident  from  the 
uneasy  way  in  which  Van  Slyke  and  McRonald 
shifted  in  their  seats  that  they  realized  the  truth 
of  the  lawyer's  remarks. 

"  I'll  tell  you  one  thing  that  we  can  do  without 
waiting  for  a  candidate,"  here  interposed  the 
Chief  of  Police. 

"  And  what  is  that,  pray?  "  asked  the  Mayor. 


174  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

;'  We  can  put  the  Central  Office  detective  force 
on  Gormly's  trail.  We  can  look  up  his  record. 
We  can  find  out  all  about  him  ever  since  he  was 
a  baby.  It's  dollars  to  pennies  but  what  we'll 
discover  something  that  he'd  like  to  keep  hidden. 
There's  mighty  few  men  that  ain't  got  a  shady 
past,  or  a  shady  present,  or  ain't  lookin'  forward 
to  a  shady  future.  That's  been  my  experience 
as  the  head  of  the  Police  Department." 

"  Your  suggestion  is  an  excellent  one,  and  your 
observations  do  you  credit.  It's  the  first  prac- 
tical suggestion  we've  had  here  this  evening,"  said 
Van  Slyke. 

"  Right,"  said  Liffey,  bluntly.  "  Turn  up  some 
dirty  story  about  him,  and  if  you  need  evidence  I'll 
supply  all  that's  necessary." 

"  You'll  have  to  be  careful,"  said  Rutherford, 
"  that  such  evidence  as  you  supply  shall  be  unim- 
peachable, and  that  such  a  story  as  you  turn  up 
shall  be  true,  else  I  won't  have  anything  to  do 
with  it." 

"  Oh,  I  guess  you'll  take  your  orders  from  the 
society." 

"  Not  from  you,  Liffey,  not  from  anybody," 
said  Rutherford  ^ietly  enough,  though  his  face 
flushed  at  the  insult.  "  As  a  matter  of  fact,  be- 
ing District  Attorney,  I  hold  the  whip  hand  of 
you  all."  And  again  the  uneasy  movement  from 
the  financiers  evidenced  the  truth  of  that  asser- 
tion. "  My  term  still  has  two  years  to  run,  re- 


A  MEETING  OF  THE  DICTATORS      175 

member,  and  there  are  things  I  could  do  even  with 
you.     Don't  forget  that!" 

Liffey  gritted  his  teeth;  but  said  nothing  in  the 
face  of  so  obvious  a  proposition. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING 

A  T  this  moment  Haldane  reentered  the  room. 
•*  He  looked  gravely  troubled. 

"  Well,"  asked  the  boss,  "  did  you  get  the 
boy?" 

"  I  had  no  difficulty  in  calling  him  up  on  my 
private  wire ;  but  — " 

"What'd  he  say?" 

"  Gentlemen,  it  is  past  belief,  but  when  I  asked 
him  whether  he  would  accept  the  nomination  or 
not,  he  said — " 

Haldane  paused. 

"  What  was  it?  Out  with  it!  "  said  the  Dis- 
trict Attorney. 

"He  said  no." 

"No!     Why  not?" 

"  He  said  he  had  already  pledged  his  support 
to  Gormly  that  afternoon  at  the  intercession  of 
—  er  —  my  daughter  and  some  other  friends." 

"Well,  I'm  damned!"  said  the  boss.  "Are 
you  goin'  to  stand  for  that?  " 

"  I  hardly  see  how  I  can  prevent  it,"  answered 
Haldane,  very  much  perturbed,  "  unless  I  should 
disclose  my  own  connection  with  the  administra- 

176 


THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING  177 

tion ;  which,  I  take  it,  is  a  thing  to  be  avoided  for 
all  our  sakes." 

"  Yes,  unless  we  want  to  kill  the  cow  we're 
milkin',"  returned  Liffey,  "  it  is.  But  can't  you 
put  pressure  on  him?  " 

"  To  a  certain  extent,  yes." 

"  Cut  off  his  allowance." 

"  Unfortunately,  he  has  sufficient  money  of  his 
own  from  his  grandfather's  estate,  to  keep  him 
from  —  er  —  want ;  and  as  he  is  quite  of  age,  my 
influence  must  be  a  matter  of  persuasion." 

"  Well,  you've  got  enough  of  a  certain  kind  of 
persuasion,"  answered  Liffey. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Rutherford,  "  this  is  a  very 
serious  indication  of  the  gravity  of  the  situation. 
If  young  men  like  Livingstone  Haldane  espouse 
the  cause  of  George  Gormly,  it  means  that  he'll 
have  a  following  among  that  class  that  has  tre- 
mendous weight." 

"  That  class  as  a  rule  don't  cut  much  of  a  figure 
in  politics,"  said  the  Street  Commissioner.  "  It's 
my  white  wings  and  Connell's  gang  and  the  society 
that  does  the  work." 

"  Don't  make  any  mistake,"  said  Rutherford. 
"  The  class  to  which  you  refer,  if  it  could  be 
waked  up,  is  capable  of  doing  amazing  work." 

"  If  I  know  anything  about  it,"  said  Van  Slyke, 
"  Gormly  will  wake  them  up  too." 

"  I  guess  we'll  have  to  fall  back  on  Mr.  War- 
ren and  his  administration,"  said  Haldane. 

"  It  might  be  construed  as  a  confession  of  weak- 


i78  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

ness  if  we  threw  him  over,"  McRonald  assented. 

"  Gentlemen,"  began  Warren  sententiously,  "  I 
shall  always  be  glad  to  serve  the  people  and — 
er — my  friends  and  supporters  in  any  office  to 
which  I  may  be  chosen." 

"  We'll  take  care  of  that,"  interrupted  Liffey 
contemptuously. 

"  In  order  to  make  it  regular,"  said  the  District 
Attorney,  "  I  propose  that  we  all  declare  here  and 
now  our  preference  for  our  candidate.  I  don't 
hesitate  to  say  that  I  think  Warren  is  the  best  man 
we  can  get.  We  know  him;  we  know  just  ex- 
actly what  we  can  expect  from  him.  He  is  rather 
liked  by  the  people,  and  his  connection  with  this 
little  ring  here  is  not  too  obvious.  I  don't  hesi- 
tate to  say  that  I  think  Warren  is  our  best  man 
to  make  the  running." 

"  I  guess  that  suits  me,"  returned  Liffey. 

Habberley  and  Connell  agreed,  and  Van  Slyke 
and  his  colleague  also  assented. 

"  Now,"  said  Liffey,  "  I've  got  something  else 
to  propose.  What  do  you  think  as  to  the  likeli- 
hood of  Gormly's  gittin'  or  acceptin'  the  nomina- 
tion of  the  outs?  " 

"  I  think  he  could  get  it  by  turning  over  his 
hand,"  answered  Haldane ;  "  but  I  think  it  is  ex- 
tremely unlikely  that  he'll  accept  it.  He  told  me 
that  he  intended  to  run  as  an  absolute  independent ; 
not  to  be  tied  to  any  party  whatsoever." 

"  They'll  offer  him  the  nomination  sure,"  said 
Connell.  "  They  ain't  never  had  such  a  chance  as 


THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING  179 

he'll  present  since  I've  been  Chief  of  Police,  and 
that's  nearly  twenty  years." 

"  Well,  if  he  won't  accept  it,  that'll  make  them 
all  sore  as  the  devil,"  said  Habberley. 

"  Exactly,"  interposed  Liffey,  "  and  therefore 
I  propose  that  we  make  a  nonpartisan  ticket  to 
run  against  him ;  that  we  divide  the  offices  between 
the  ins  and  outs;  reservin'  to  ourselves  the  most 
important  and  vital  ones  of  course,  but  givin'  the 
outs  enough  to  make  'em  feel  good,  let  'em  git 
their  fingers  into  the  public  pie  for  a  few  pickin's, 
and  so  on.  We  can  easily  do  that  without  losin' 
too  much,  and  we'll  present  a  united  front  against 
him." 

"  A  united  front  of  all  the  grafters,  thieves, 
blackguards,  financiers,  and  politicians  in  New 
York!  "  sneered  Rutherford. 

"  You  don't  like  the  scheme,  Mr.  Rutherford," 
roared  Liffey  angrily. 

"  Vastly.  I  think  it's  one  of  the  best  that  could 
be  proposed." 

"  As  for  myself,"  said  Haldane,  "  I  also  think 
it  has  elements  of  attractiveness,  although  I  must 
protest  against  being  placed  in  the  category  you 
have  enumerated,  Mr.  Rutherford." 

"  Oh,  protest  all  you  like,"  said  the  District 
Attorney  easily.  "  The  suggestion  is  a  good  one, 
Liffey.  It's  not  hard  to  see  why  you're  in  your 
present  position.  You  have  a  level  head.  I 
think  we  are  all  agreed  on  what  you  suggest;  eh, 
gentlemen  ?  " 


180  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"Good!  "  said  Haldane  after  the  assents  had 
been  received.  "  It  only  remains  then  to  make  up 
the  slate.  Shall  we  do  it  now  or  later?  " 

'*  We  might  as  well  do  our  part  of  it  now," 
said  Liffey.  "  I'll  see  Benson  to-morrow  and 
put  it  up  to  him.  He  can  name  his  contributions 
to  the  list,  and  then  we'll  announce  it." 

"  And  our  platform?  "  queried  Rutherford. 

"  To  stand  on  our  record  and  point  with  pride, 
and  say  mighty  little  else,"  returned  the  boss  con- 
cisely. 

Rutherford  laughed;  so  did  the  rest.  It  was  so 
absurd  and  yet  so  exceedingly  adroit. 

"  And  I'll  carry  out  my  part  of  the  game," 
said  the  Chief  of  Police. 

"  What  part  was  that?  "  asked  Haldane. 

"  While  you  were  out,"  answered  Rutherford, 
"  our  worthy  censor  of  public  morals,  guardian  of 
public  interests,  and  enforcer  of  public  law,  sug- 
gested that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  employ 
the  detective  force  of  the  city  in  looking  out  for 
the  interests  of  the  party  by  investigating  the  past, 
present,  and  future  of  Mr.  Gormly.  You  see  a 
reform  candidate  has  got  to  be  of  blameless  life. 
That's  the  reason  we  are  none  of  us  allied  with 
that  party,  I  take  it.  And  if  anything  whatso- 
ever can  be  found  which  tends  to  cast  a  cloud 
over  the  individual  reformer,  his  cake's  dough." 

"  I've  offered  to  manufacture  any  kind  of  evi- 
dence necessary,"  said  Liffey. 

"  Our  worthy  friend  has  evidence  to  burn,  as 


THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING  181 

it  were,"  continued  Rutherford;  "but  I  have 
warned  him  that  the  manufactured  article  will 
not  go  in  this  instance." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Haldane.  "  Nothing 
but  the  truth  will  serve  against  George  Gormly." 

"Well,  I'll  get  it,"  said  the  chief.  "He's 
weak  somewhere.  I  have  never  seen  any  man  that 
wasn't,  and  I'll  find  it  out  before  the  election." 

"  I  suggest,"  said  Mr.  Haldane,  "  that  any  in- 
formation you  may  acquire  should  be  submitted  to 
those  of  us  who  are  present  before  any  use  is 
made  of  it." 

"  Oh  that,  of  course,"  said  Liffey.  "  Chief, 
don't  make  any  moves  without  submitting  them 
to  me." 

"  There  is  still  another  matter  of  interest  to  us 
all  which  must  be  settled,"  continued  Haldane. 

"What's  that?" 

"  The  old  franchise  of  the  New  York  Street 
Car  Company  that  expires  this  spring;  the  link 
that  completes  the  circle  of  the  Gotham  Freight 
Traction  Company." 

"  Well,  that's  a  matter  that  concerns  you  pretty 
intimately,"  said  Liffey. 

"  You'll  find  that  it  concerns  us  all,  Liffey,  be- 
fore you  get  through,"  said  Rutherford. 

"  For  without  that  link,  we're  a  broken  circle, 
as  it  were,"  said  Haldane. 

"  Exactly,"  said  the  Mayor,  "  the  ring  is 
busted." 

"  Well,  it  doesn't  seem  to  me  that's  a  very  diffi- 


182  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

cult  proposition,"  said  Liffey.  "  We've  got  the 
Board  of  Aldermen,  and  the  Borough  Presidents 
as  well.  All  we've  got  to  do  is  to  draw  up  an 
ordinance  and  shove  it  through.  The  Mayor 
here'll  sign  it,  and  that'll  be  the  end  of  it." 

;'  The  program  that  you  outline  is  doubtless 
possible,  and  it  may  be  that  it  is  desirable  and 
necessary;  but  it  is  by  no  means  as  easy  as  you 
think,  Liffey,"  said  Haldane.  "  If  I  know  any- 
thing about  Gormly  he'll  make  a  fight  on  that 
issue.  That  is  our  weak  point.  If  we  had  that 
franchise  safely  passed  and  in  our  pockets,  we 
could  laugh  at  him." 

"  But  I  tell  you,  Mr.  Haldane,"  said  Liffey, 
"  that  all  we've  got  to  do  is  to  bring  it  up  and  it'll 
be  passed." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that.  I  don't  know 
whether  it  would  be  good  policy  even  if  we  pos- 
sessed the  power." 

"  We've  got  the  power  all  right." 

"  Well,  even  admitting  we  possess  it,  to  jam 
through  a  measure  like  that  in  the  face  of  op- 
position such  as  such  an  action  would  surely  bring 
forth  —  You  see  we  are  none  too  invulnerable 
as  it  is,  and  the  fewer  opportunities  we  give  for 
the  opposition  to  attack  us,  the  better.  I  am  not 
committed  to  this  view ;  but  I  don't  know  whether 
it  would  not  be  better  to  defer  the  passage  of  such 
an  ordinance  until  after  the  election." 

"  And  suppose  we  were  beaten  in  the  election  ?  " 
said  Rutherford. 


THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING  183 

"  'Tain't  supposable,"  interrupted  Liffey. 

"  Excuse  me,  everything  is  supposable  in  politics 
in  New  York,"  was  the  the  quick  rejoinder. 

"  Well,"  said  Haldane,  "  if  we  were  beaten 
in  the  election,  of  course  we  should  have  to  make 
terms  with  the  enemy." 

"Terms!"  snorted  Liffey.  "Why  we'd  be 
ground  down  to  the  dust.  It'd  be  state  prison 
for  some  of  us,  and  — " 

"  I  think  that  while  there  is  much  in  what  you 
say,  Haldane,"  said  Van  Slyke,  "  yet  we'd  better 
make  sure  of  the  ordinance  before  the  election. 
We  would  have  that,  anyway,  even  if  we  failed, 
which,  as  Mr.  Liffey  says,  is  hardly  possible." 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Haldane,  "  I  am  by  no 
means  convinced  of  what  you  say.  I  tell  you 
that  the  main  fight  will  be  on  the  disposal  of  that 
very  franchise.  There  will  be  such  a  hue  and 
cry  about  it  that  its  passage  wrill  be  a  dangerous 
move  in  the  game.  I  admit  that  we  can  pass 
anything  in  spite  of  any  commotions,  but  the  ques- 
tion is  do  we  want  it." 

"  That's  hardly  the  question,"  said  McRonald. 
"  Of  course  we  want  it;  but  the  question  is,  is  it 
the  best  thing  to  do.  I  think  there  is  tremendous 
force  in  your  arguments,  Mr.  Haldane.  If  we 
present  ourselves  with  that  franchise,  which  is  so 
immensely  valuable  and  vital  indeed  to  the  com- 
pletion of  our  properties,  as  well  as  to  the  public, 
we  shall  certainly  have  given  to  the  opposition  the 
strongest  ground  for  appeal  to  the  people.  If 


184  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

we  do  not  present  ourselves  with  the  franchise,  if 
we  allow  the  election  to  determine  that  unofficially 
as  it  were,  and  then  when  we  have  won  the  elec- 
tion, we  avail  ourselves  of  our  opportunities,  we 
shall  be  in  a  much  safer  and  better  position." 

"  Do  you  wish  to  submit  this  franchise  to  the 
vote  of  the  people,  Mr.  McRonald?"  asked 
Rutherford. 

"  By  no  means,"  answered  the  financier. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  propose  then  ?  " 

"  This.  Would  it  not  be  well,  in  case  this 
movement  grows  strong  enough  to  be  worthy  of 
the  attention  we  are  giving  it,  to  declare  as  from 
the  party  in  power  that  while  we  have  the  power 
to  grant  the  franchise,  and  while  we  think  it  would 
be  for  the  interests  of  the  people  that  it  should 
be  granted,  yet  we  are  willing  to  defer  action 
until  after  the  election  and  let  the  election  deter- 
mine. If  we  are  continued  in  office,  we  can  say 
that  our  policies  are  vindicated  and  there  will  be 
no  reason  why  the  franchise  cannot  be  passed." 

"  That  would  be  a  wise  course,"  said  Haldane. 
"  I  don't  know  but  that  it  is  the  wisest  course; 
but  we  must  face  the  alternative." 

"What  is  that?" 

"  Defeat !  If  we  made  that  proposition,  and 
then  were  defeated,  it  would  be  impossible  for  us 
to  secure  the  franchise,  and  — " 

"And  what?"  asked  Liffey. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Haldane,  "  the  stock  of  the 
Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  is  two  hun- 


THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING  185 

dred  and  fifty  millions,  and  the  bonds  outstanding 
aggregate  almost  as  much.  If  we  don't  have  this 
franchise,  they  won't  be  worth  ten  cents  on  the 
dollar  to  us." 

"  How  much  actual  money  has  been  invested  in 
the  concern  ?  "  asked  the  District  Attorney. 

"  Two  hundred  and  fifty  millions  from  the  peo- 
ple, and  —  very  little  else,"  answered  Haldane. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Van  Slyke,  "  you  must  face 
this  matter  squarely.  You  are  all  interested, 
everyone  of  you  has  stock  in  the  concern;  it  is  a 
source  of  revenue  to  the  Sachem  Society." 

"  How  much  is  it  really  worth? "  queried 
Liffey. 

"  It's  worth,  of  course,  what  was  put  into  it." 

"  And  what  will  its  earning  capacity  be?  " 

"  If  we  control  it,  it  will  pay  a  fair  dividend 
on  all  the  stock  that  has  been  put  out,  most  of 
which  is  held  by  our  friends  and  the  friends  of 
the  organization,"  answered  Van  Slyke. 

The  problem  was  a  tremendous  one.  They 
faced  It  silently  a  moment  or  two,  and  at  last 
Haldane  restated  it. 

"  You  see,  we  can,  if  necessary,  defy  public 
opinion  and  jam  through  an  ordinance  at  the  last 
minute  even  if  we  are  likely  to  lose  the  election,  al- 
though by  so  doing  we  should  give  the  enemy  a 
tremendous  advantage  at  the  close  of  the  cam- 
paign. Or  we  can  defer  the  granting  of  the  fran- 
chise until  after  the  election,  in  the  hope  that  the 
postponement  will  be  our  strongest  card  for  win- 


1 86  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

ning.     In  case  we  win,  everything  would  be  easy; 
and  in  case  we  lose  — " 

He  paused.  There  was  no  necessity  for  stating 
what  would  happen  then ;  every  man  saw  it  clearly. 

"  Ain't  there  no  way  of  gittin'  around  the  sit- 
uation? "  asked  Liffey. 

"  None  that  I  can  see,"  was  the  answer  from 
Haldane. 

"  Have  you  looked  at  it  from  every  point  of 
view  ?  " 

'  You  may  be  certain  of  that,  and  I  tell  you, 
gentlemen,  that  other  interests  of  greater  mag- 
nitude would  be  involved  in  the  fate  of  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company." 

"Are  we  involved  in  those  other  interests?" 
asked  Liffey. 

"  You  certainly  are,  sir,  inasmuch  as  they  touch 
every  public  utility  that  the  city  can  grant." 

"  Why  in  the  name  of  all  that's  businesslike 
didn't  you  get  control  of  this  franchise  before?" 
asked  Rutherford. 

"  We  couldn't,"  Haldane  replied.  "  It  is  im- 
possible to  get  a  renewal  of  a  franchise  until  it 
expires.  We  got  everything  else  by  degrees,  and 
there  would  have  been  no  difficulty  —  there  is  no 
difficulty  so  far  as  the  mere  act  goes  —  in  pick- 
ing up  this  franchise  as  well,  so  long  as  we  con- 
trol the  Aldermen.  We  didn't  anticipate  the 
entry  of  this  infernal  fool  into  the  political  game." 

"  Why  didn't  you  wait  before  committing  your- 


THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING          187 

selves  to  the  greater  enterprise  until  this  franchise 
matured?  " 

"  We  couldn't.  There  were  other  interests 
anxious  to  build  the  subway  and  unite  the  various 
other  franchises  in  one  organization.  The  people 
were  clamorous  that  the  road  should  be  built,  and 
there  was  nothing  else  to  do  but  build  it.  Be- 
sides, who  could  have  foreseen  this  situation.  No, 
gentlemen,  we  were  helpless,  and  without  this 
franchise  we  are  more  helpless." 

"  What  does  it  cover?  "  asked  the  Mayor. 

"  It  covers  pretty  much  every  available  route 
by  which  we  can  connect  the  ends  of  the  traction 
company." 

"  How  much  territory?  " 

"  Oh,  a  mile  or  a  mile  and  a  half,  I  should  say; 
but  every  possible  right  of  way  is  included  in  the 
franchise." 

"  And  if  we  don't  get  it?  " 

"  Somebody  else  will  get  it,  of  course.  He  will 
build  the  connections,  and  hold  us  up  for  any- 
thing that  he  wants." 

"  But  it  will  be  no  good  to  anybody  else  with- 
out what  we've  got,"  suggested  Van  Slyke. 

"  True ;  but  we  have  got  several  hundred  mil- 
lions involved  and  can't  adopt  a  do-nothing  policy. 
Probably  ten  millions  or  even  less  will  cover  the 
expenses  required  by  rebuilding  under  the  old  or 
new  franchise,  and  that  ten  million  has  us  by  the 
throat." 


1 88  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  It  should  be  easy  for  five  hundred  millions  to 
freeze  out  ten,"  said  Rutherford. 

"  Under  other  circumstances  it  would  not  be 
at  all  difficult,"  answered  Haldane;  "  but  the  peo- 
ple are  to  be  considered  in  this  case.  This  road 
was  built  as  a  public  convenience  and,  gentle- 
men, it  has  to  be  run." 

"  This  is  a  hell  of  a  fix  for  men  as  smart  as  you 
to  git  yourselves  in !  "  said  Liffey. 

'  Your  language,  if  somewhat  inelegant,"  said 
Haldane  sarcastically,  "  well  describes  the  situa- 
tion; but  it  was  one  that  could  not  have  been 
avoided  and  could  not  have  been  foreseen.  The 
only  question  that  interests  us  now  is  what  are  we 
going  to  do  about  it." 

"  Well,  that's  a  question  that's  going  to  be  put 
up  to  us  pretty  hard,"  said  the  Mayor.  "  Gormly 
is  going  to  put  it  up  to  us." 

"  You  may  be  sure  of  that,"  answered  the 
financier. 

"  As  I  take  it,"  said  Liffey,  "  we  can  secure 
the  franchise  or  we  can  make  its  future  grant  the 
issue  of  the  campaign;  and  if  we  win,  pass  it  then; 
and  if  we  fail,  take  our  medicine." 

"  You've  stated  it  exactly." 

"  For  myself,  I'm  in  favor  of  grabbing  the 
franchise  now,"  said  the  boss.  "  It  means  money. 
Money's  what  we're  here  for.  The  object  of 
politics  is  money  for  the  crowd  that's  in.  The 
aim  of  the  crowd  that's  out  is  to  git  in  so  they 
can  git  the  money.  Of  course,  it's  pleasant  to 


THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING          189 

have  power,  to  direct  the  destinies  of  this  great 
city,  and  influence  our  fellow  citizens  to  follow  our 
leadership,"  he  went  on  sneeringly;  "but  after 
all  what  we're  all  out  for  is  the  dough.  With 
money  we  can  buy  votes;  with  votes  we  can  get 
office ;  with  office  and  money  we  can  get  immunity 
from  the  consequences.  Even  if  we're  beaten  by 
the  Mayor,  we'll  still  have  the  District  Attorney, 
we'll  still  have  the  police  force.  I'll  still  be  here ; 
so  will  you,  Mr.  Haldane.  And  therefore, 
rather'n  take  any  risk,  I  move  that  the  franchise 
be  renewed  as  soon  as  it  expires,  and  that  the 
grant  be  made  to  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company.  I'd  rather  have  something  substantial 
than  play  for  a  chance  any  time.  Not  but  what 
I'm  sure  that  we're  goin'  to  win  the  election;  I 
don't  agree  with  Mr.  Rutherford  about  the  power 
of  the  people.  I've  heard  about  it  ever  since  I 
was  in  politics;  but  I've  never  seen  a  manifesta- 
tion of  it.  I  control  the  organization :  the  people 
can  vote  how  they  please  and  be  damned  to  'em ! 
I'll  see  that  the  votes  are  counted  and  I'll  be  re- 
sponsible." 

"  Yet  you  are  not  willing  to  trust  the  franchise 
to  the  powers  you  assume  you  have?  "  asked  Ruth- 
erford quickly. 

"  No,  I'm  not.  I  don't  see  the  use  of  it.  We 
can  win  anyway,  but  if  by  some  miracle  we  didn't, 
we'd  still  have  the  franchise  and  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company  and  them  other  in- 
terests it  represents  back  of  us.  I  guess  we 


wouldn't  suffer  any  therefore,  no  matter  what 
happened.  Besides,  all  it'd  mean  would  be  a 
wait  of  four  years.  These  reform  movements 
always  get  tired  of  themselves,  and  then  one  or 
the  other  of  the  old  parties  comes  in.  We'll  be 
the  one." 

"  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  much  of  Mr. 
Liffey's  contention  is  sound,"  said  Van  Slyke  at 
last. 

"  Well,  gentlemen,"  said  Haldane,  "  what  do 
you  all  think  about  it?  " 

"  Let's  get  what  we  can,"  said  the  Mayor. 

"  And  keep  all  we've  got,"  added  Connell. 

"  Very  well  then,"  said  Haldane,  "  so  be  it. 
We  are  united  upon  a  nonpartizan  ticket  which  we 
can  select  presently,  with  Warren  at  the  head  of 
it.  Mr.  Liffey  will  see  Mr.  Benson  and  induce 
his  cooperation.  Mr.  Connell  will  investigate 
Mr.  Gormly's  career.  Mr.  Rutherford  will  ar- 
range to  have  the  franchise  renewed  as  soon  as  it 
is  possible  to  do  so.  Mr.  Warren  will  at  once 
announce  himself  as  a  candidate  for  reelection. 
Messrs.  Liffey,  Habberley,  and  Connell  will  get 
their  forces  in  line.  And  I  think  that's  all." 

"  Not  quite,  Mr.  Haldane,"  said  Liffey. 

"What  else?" 

"  You'll  git  the  barrel  open  for  the  necessary 
expenses  of  the  campaign  ?  " 

"  Quite  so,"  said  Haldane,  dryly.  "  You  may 
depend  upon  us  to  do  what  is  proper;  eh,  gentle- 
men?" 


THE  PLANS  OF  THE  RING         191 

Van  Slyke  and  McRonald  nodded. 

"  I  think  we've  done  a  pretty  good  night's 
work,"  said  the  District  Attorney,  rising  to  his 
feet. 

"  Don't  go  yet,"  said  Haldane.  "  We  must 
fix  up  the  slate  first,  and  that  will  be  all." 

It  was  a  half-hour  later  when  the  last  one  de- 
parted from  the  house.  Haldane  was  quite  aware 
of  the  conditions  under  which  his  fortune  was  be- 
ing increased  and  his  power  extended.  He  had 
been  brought  in  contact  with  the  naked  reality  of 
the  situation  a  great  many  times;  but  it  seemed  to 
him  that  never  before  had  it  presented  itself  in  so 
hideous  and  unattractive  a  guise  as  on  that  night. 
The  financier  was  hardened.  His  conscience, 
while  keenly  alive  in  other  directions,  in  matters 
concerning  politics  and  the  people  was  seared  and 
indurated.  But  what  had  been  said  and  what  he 
had  discussed  that  night  had  sickened  him. 

His  thoughts,  as  he  sat  alone  reflecting  upon 
the  situation,  went  back  with  a  certain  degree  of 
envy  to  Gormly's  simple  honesty,  his  clear  cut 
purpose,  his  clean  and  splendid  record,  his  won- 
derful chances  of  success.  He  doubted  very 
much  whether  Connell's  most  careful  scrutiny 
would  reveal  anything  of  a  shameful  character  in 
the  career  of  the  enemy,  and  he  realized  that  noth- 
ing else  than  the  absolute  truth  would  serve  in 
the  present  crisis.  Haldane  was  a  much  abler, 
farther  sighted  man  than  any  of  those,  who  had 
gathered  about  him  that  night,  brilliant  though 


i92  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

they  were  in  spite  of  the  coarseness  of  some  and 
venality  of  all.  He  could  see  dangerous  pos- 
sibilities, possibilities  of  which  they  made  light. 

Presently  the  financier's  thoughts  turned  to  his 
daughter  —  strange  to  her  rather  than  to  his 
wife !  —  with  a  sickening  feeling  of  disgust  at 
himself.  What  would  she  think  of  such  unholy 
alliances  as  that  upon  which  he  had  entered,  to 
which  he  was  committed?  What  would  she  say 
could  she  have  overheard  the  conversation  in 
which  he  had  just  borne  his  ignominious  part? 
What  was  the  cause  of  her  strange  interest  in 
Gormly,  and  what  was  to  be  deduced  from 
Gormly's  strange  interest  in  her?  The  great  mer- 
chant had  some  unusual  characteristics.  He  had 
even  attracted  his  son  to  his  cause ! 

Haldane  felt  quite  lonely,  quite  old,  as  he  sat 
there  in  the  small  hours  of  the  morning,  his  cigar 
gone  out,  musing  over  the  situation.  He  pulled 
himself  together  at  last.  The  battle  was  not  lost. 
The  enemy  had  not  won,  and  before  that  came 
about  there  would  be  a  struggle  which  would  beg- 
gar description.  The  cards  seemed  to  be  in  his 
hands,  or  in  the  hands  of  the  ring  of  which  he 
was  chief.  No  more  experienced  players  ever  sat 
at  a  game  than  those  associated  with  him.  They 
ought  to  win ;  but  would  they  ?  Haldane  was  by 
no  means  certain. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD 

/"^ORMLY'S  refusal  to  accept  the  indorsement 
^-^  and  become  the  nominee  of  the  outs  cre- 
ated a  great  sensation.  The  superficial  considered 
that  he  was  courting  political  suicide.  Keen  ob- 
servers recognized  the  consistency  of  his  decision 
and  saw  in  his  bold  attitude  further  presage  of 
success.  It  was  an  evidence,  which  by  and  by 
even  the  stupid  could  apprehend,  that  Gormly 
literally  meant  what  he  said  when  he  declared 
that  he  was  to  be  an  absolutely  independent  can- 
didate, tied  to  no  faction,  bound  by  no  party,  en- 
tirely free  and  unfettered. 

The  men  who  rallied  to  his  support,  while  as 
innocent  as  babes  in  the  practical  politics  affected 
by  Liffey  and  Benson,  were  nevertheless  men 
of  abounding  zeal,  keen  intelligence,  and  high 
quality.  Nor  were  the  workers  that  gathered 
round  the  new  leader  entirely  from  the  social  set 
and  circle  of  the  Haldanes.  Gormly  in  one  way 
or  another  employed  a  vast  number  of  working 
men.  His  relations  with  them  had  always  been 
not  merely  "  square,"  as  they  phrased  it,  but  kind 
and  generous.  They  rallied  round  him  to  a  man, 

193 


194  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

and  although  tremendous  pressure  was  brought 
to  bear  upon  them,  whereat  some  fell  by  the  way, 
the  great  bulk  of  them  campaigned  for  him  on 
their  own  account.  Then,  too,  there  were  at- 
tracted to  him  numbers  of  plain,  honest  people, 
without  any  great  ability  or  station,  but  who  had 
the  welfare  of  their  city  sincerely  at  heart,  so  that 
his  advocates  and  helpers  were  fairly  representa- 
tive. They  were  organized  and  started  at  work 
immediately  in  every  direction.  No  hall  or  other 
possible  place  of  meeting  was  too  remote  or  too 
inconsiderable  to  be  overlooked.  Before  the 
enemy  realized  it,  ample  time  had  been  secured  in 
every  possible  assembly  room  and  there  were 
nightly  meetings  all  over  the  city.  The  cam- 
paign was  speedily  in  full  blast. 

In  the  Gormly  store  itself  was  a  great  audito- 
rium in  which  free  concerts,  lectures,  and  entertain- 
ments had  been  given  for  the  employees  and 
patrons  of  the  store.  This  auditorium  had  out- 
side entrances  and  could  be  completely  cut  off  from 
the  other  business.  It  was  there  that  Gormly 
established  headquarters  under  the  direction  of 
Watson,  who  showed  himself  an  apt  learner  and 
demonstrated  his  capabilities  more  definitely  every 
day.  Gormly  himself  gave  the  larger  part  of  his 
attention  to  the  campaign.  Every  afternoon  he 
assembled  in  the  auditorium  the  workers  and 
speakers,  and  every  afternoon  there  was  the  freest 
possible  discussion  of  the  issues,  of  what  was  to 
be  said  in  the  speeches  of  the  night,  of  the  places 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD     195 

to  be  covered.  The  man  showed  a  genius  for 
leadership  and  direction  that  was  amazing.  He 
developed  a  power  of  succinctly  presenting  the 
facts,  which  in  large  measure  he  was  able  to  com- 
municate to  his  followers.  Of  course,  amid  so 
many  of  such  varying  qualities,  mistakes  were 
often  made;  but  the  general  direction  of  the  cam- 
paign was  carefully  followed  and  the  mistakes 
were  after  all  of  little  moment. 

Livingstone  Haldane's  example  had  been  fol- 
lowed by  not  a  few  young  men  of  fortune  and 
position.  It  became  in  a  certain  sense  among  a 
certain  set  the  fashion  to  campaign  for  Gormly. 
Automobiles  of  all  sorts  were  available  for 
transporting  speakers,  and  classes  and  social  dis- 
tinctions were  wiped  out  in  the  greater  issues  in- 
volved. The  proletariat  found  itself  rubbing 
shoulders  with  the  aristocracy,  and  observed  that 
the  millionaire  was  not  so  bad  as  he  was  painted, 
while  the  contact  with  the  people  was  helpful  also 
to  the  so-called  leisure  class.  It  is  hard  to  be 
exclusive  in  the  tonneau  of  a  swift  moving  ma- 
chine. You  have  to  get  in  touch  with  your  fellow 
passengers  therein  while  you  are  being  bumped  to- 
gether, and  the  intercourse  was  good  for  both. 
By  these  methods  what  was  picturesquely  de- 
scribed in  the  city  papers  as  a  whirlwind  cam- 
paign was  inaugurated. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  opposition  was 
idle;  by  no  means.  Never  had  its  activities  been 
so  great,  its  energies  so  manifestly  put  forth.  It 


196          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

had  welcomed  with  joy  the  news  of  the  refusal  of 
Gormly  to  become  the  candidate  of  the  minority 
party.  Liffey  had  at  once  decided  in  his  own 
mind  that  that  settled  the  issue.  Even  farther 
sighted  men  like  Rutherford  were  of  the  same 
opinion.  Haldane  alone,  the  wisest,  shrewdest, 
and  ablest  of  the  group,  was  not  convinced,  and 
under  his  vigorous  though  secret  urgings  the  Ring 
redoubled  its  efforts  to  beat  the  Man. 

At  the  proper  time  the  proposition  from  the 
party  in  power  to  make  a  combination  with  the 
outs  was  sprung  upon  the  public.  It  created  al- 
most as  much  of  a  sensation  as  had  Gormly's  re- 
jection of  the  support  of  the  opposition.  It  was 
hailed  on  one  side  as  an  evidence  of  the  fairness 
of  the  party  in  power  and  the  Sachem  Society, 
which  many  people  imagined  needed  no  alliance 
of  that  kind.  It  was  considered  as  testimony  to 
the  fact  that  the  party  in  power  had  nothing  to 
conceal,  since  it  admitted  the  outs  to  its  councils, 
and  that  it  was  sincerely  desirous  of  giving  New 
York  a  business  administration  in  which  all  fac- 
tions and  parties  should  be  represented.  There 
was  truth  in  the  contention,  too.  The  only  fac- 
tion or  party  that  would  not  be  represented  by  this 
alliance  would  be  the  common  people. 

Wiser  heads,  however,  realized  that  altruistic 
methods  were  inconsistent  entirely  with  the  real 
spirit  of  either  party  and  saw  in  the  alliance  a  con- 
fession of  weakness.  And  the  editorial  contin- 
gent of  the  Gormly  papers  seized  upon  this  idea 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD     197 

and  made  the  most  of  it.  In  the  beginning, 
Gormly's  advertisements,  including  his  political 
manifestos,  had  been  printed  in  every  paper  in 
the  city.  They  were  paid  for  as  other  advertise- 
ments are  —  and  why  not  ?  But  the  Sachem  So- 
ciety had  put  the  screws  on  certain  journals  which 
owed  much  to  its  influence,  and  because  of  this 
pressure  they  had  summarily  refused  any  more 
of  Gormly's  unique  proclamations.  They  pro- 
fessed themselves  entirely  ready  to  print  his  busi- 
ness advertisements  at  the  usual  rates.  Gormly 
retaliated,  of  course,  by  withdrawing  all  adver- 
tising of  any  sort  from  them,  and  doubling  the 
space  he  purchased  in  the  other  papers.  Nat- 
urally, therefore,  the  press  divided  in  two  sec- 
tions; those  that  were  controlled  by  the  party  in 
power,  and  those  that  were  favorable  to  the  new 
candidate.  The  ablest  editorial  talent  in  New 
York  was  enlisted  as  never  before  in  this  cam- 
paign. 

Incidentally,  nothing  that  he  could  have  said 
or  done  could  have  so  increased  the  business  of  his 
store!  His  business  rivals  and  associates  indeed 
suggested,  and  the  suggestion  was  quickly  seized 
upon  by  the  administration  papers,  that  the  whole 
thing  was  a  clever  advertising  dodge,  and  that 
Gormly  was  simply  using  his  candidacy  to  boom 
his  business.  There  was  no  satisfactory  answer 
to  this  argument,  which  was  one  of  the  best  that 
could  have  been  devised  by  the  opposition,  and 
it  was  harped  upon  immensely,  although  their 


ig8          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

leader  was  vigorously  justified  from  this  charge 
by  his  army  of  fighters. 

The  general  counsel  for  the  Gormly  mercantile 
operations  was  a  very  distinguished  law  firm,  one 
member  of  which  had  held  a  cabinet  position  in 
the  national  Government  a  number  of  years  back. 
The  legal  and  political  moves  in  the  game  were 
well  known  to  this  attorney  and  he  and  his  part- 
ners afforded  Gormly  an  immense  amount  of  val- 
uable advice.  They  saw  that  all  the  provisions 
of  the  law  regarding  his  candidacy  were  complied 
with ;  they  advised  him  of  the  necessity  for  clerks, 
watchers,  and  other  minor  officers  connected  with 
the  election,  and  carefully  sought  to  preserve  the 
strictest  legality  and  see  that  all  the  requirements 
of  the  election  laws  were  fulfilled. 

The  expenses  of  the  campaign  were  enormous. 
Not  one  cent  was  paid  out  for  bribery  or  for  the 
purpose  of  influencing  votes  in  any  improper  way ; 
but  the  hiring  of  halls,  the  payment  of  the  ex- 
penses of  meetings,  organization,  transportation, 
printing,  salaries,  and  so  on  aggregated  an  ex- 
traordinary sum.  Even  Gormly  himself  had  not 
realized  how  great  these  expenses  would  be ;  but  he 
paid  them  without  blenching.  His  resources  were 
vast.  He  put  at  the  disposal  of  his  candidacy 
all  the  accumulations  and  earnings  of  twenty-five 
years.  He  saw  that  by  the  time  the  vote  was 
taken,  his  ready  money  would  be  expended.  Of 
course,  he  would  still  have  his  great  business, 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD     199 

which  would  be  entirely  unencumbered;  but  every- 
thing else  would  go. 

He  still  kept  to  his  plan  of  printing  every  week 
sworn  statements  of  his  expenses,  challenging  the 
other  party  to  do  the  same.  The  challenge  was 
disregarded,  and  efforts  were  made  to  show  that 
Gormly  was  trying  to  buy  his  way  into  the  office. 
The  reason  the  society  did  not  publish  its  ex- 
pense account  was  not  because  it  was  ashamed  of 
the  amount,  for  it  was  vastly  greater  than  what 
Gormly  expended.  They  had  nearly  as  many 
expenses  as  he,  except  for  the  newspaper  adver- 
tising, which  they  got  free,  and  in  addition  they 
disbursed  an  immense  bribery  and  corruption  fund 
through  Liffey,  Connell,  Habberley,  and  Benson. 

Again  and  again  were  Haldane  and  his  asso- 
ciates called  upon  for  remittances,  which  were  in- 
variably forthcoming.  There  was  no  possibility 
of  refusal.  The  fortunes  of  the  group  of  finan- 
ciers controlling  the  public  utilities  were  bound  up 
in  the  election.  Failure  to  win  a  victory  would 
mean  financial  ruin  to  many  of  them.  Fortunately 
for  him,  it  did  not  mean  so  much  to  Haldane,  al- 
though his  great  fortune  would  be  seriously  im- 
paired by  defeat.  Most  of  the  others,  however, 
had  turned  over  everything  that  they  possessed, 
and  pledged  their  credit  as  well,  to  the  vast  syndi- 
cate of  which  he  was  the  head.  Indeed,  he  and 
Van  Slyke  would  be  the  only  ones  not  totally 
ruined  by  the  election  of  Gormly.  Consequently 


200  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

they  paid  and  paid  and  paid,  protesting  in  their 
hearts  but  shutting  their  teeth  grimly  and  hand- 
ing out  the  cash,  which  was  disbursed  to  the  best 
advantage  by  Liffey  and  Benson.  It  was  hon- 
estly disbursed,  too;  that  is,  it  was  disbursed  in 
the  interests  of  the  campaign.  One  of  the  chief 
powers  of  a  boss  is  that  he  stands  by  his  friends 
and  reserves  his  plunderings  for  the  people  and 
his  other  enemies. 

Besides,  Liffey  realized  that  his  own  position 
of  undisputed  leadership,  which  he  had  enjoyed 
for  so  many  years,  depended  upon  his  success. 
This,  if  nothing  else,  would  be  a  sufficient  stimu- 
lus to  his  energies.  He  never  planned  so  care- 
fully, fought  so  desperately,  for  victory.  In  this 
he  was  brilliantly  seconded  by  Benson,  glad  at 
last  to  be  recognized,  and  realizing  that  here  was 
probably  the  only  opportunity  that  he  and  his 
would  ever  enjoy  for  preying  upon  the  public. 
Rutherford  was  also  exceedingly  brilliant  in  his 
campaigning,  and  Warren,  fighting  for  his  life, 
developed  unusual  power  as  a  speaker  and  a  per- 
suader. Every  employee  of  the  administration, 
every  member  of  the  Sachem  Society,  was  keyed 
up  to  the  most  determined  efforts.  Even  business 
and  speculation  became  of  secondary  importance 
in  the  fury  of  the  campaign. 

Gormly  himself  spoke  every  night  somewhere, 
and  the  crowds  that  greeted  him  were  enormous. 
Meanwhile  every  detective  in  the  employ  of  the 
city,  and  all  others  who  could  be  suborned,  were 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD     201 

concentrating  their  efforts  on  Gormly's  past  and 
present.  He  could  not  take  a  step  outside  of  his 
office  without  being  shadowed.  It  was  not  diffi- 
cult for  spies  to  mingle  with  the  crowd  of  buyers 
in  his  store  and  scrutinize  every  person  who  en- 
tered his  private  room.  They  had  so  far  dis- 
covered nothing.  Gormly  had  lived  an  absolutely 
clean,  upright,  honest,  hardworking  life  since  he 
landed  in  New  York.  They  did  not  find  out 
where  he  came  from  or  even  where  he  was  born. 
The  only  possible  clue  they  had  was  the  state- 
ment that  he  had  once  been  in  the  West,  with 
which  Haldane  had  supplied  them.  Men  had 
scoured  the  principal  cities  of  the  West;  but  noth- 
ing had  been  learned.  Connell  was  in  despair. 
He  had  counted,  from  his  knowledge  of  the  un- 
derworld, upon  finding  something  that  could  be 
used  to  Gormly's  disadvantage;  he  had  not  suc- 
ceeded. He  and  Liffey  and  Benson  had  again 
and  again  been  on  the  eve  of  determining  upon 
the  manufacture  of  some  degrading  or  incriminat- 
ing story  which  would  at  least  serve  their  purpose. 
It  would  not  be  difficult  to  get  witnesses  to  such 
an  endeavor;  but  it  would  be  highly  dangerous  to 
resort  to  such  an  expedient,  and  they  were  still 
hesitating  and  undecided. 

About  this  time  the  disputed  franchise  expired. 
A  resolution  was  immediately  introduced  in  the 
Board  of  Aldermen  at  the  City  Hall  granting  a 
renewal  of  it  to  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company.  Every  move  in  the  game  was  watched, 


202  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

and  the  resolution  had  scarcely  been  read  and 
referred  to  a  committee  when  it  was  communi- 
cated to  Gormly.  The  next  day  the  Gormly  pa- 
pers rang  with  the  charge  that  the  city  fathers  in- 
tended to  give  away  its  most  valuable  remaining 
public  franchise  to  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company. 

At  the  next  meeting,  despite  the  furious  pro- 
tests of  the  Gormly  party,  the  resolution  was  put 
upon  its  passage.  Gormly  here  played  his  great- 
est political  card.  Attended  by  a  body  of  friends, 
he  presented  himself  at  the  council  chamber  and 
forced  admission.  When  the  resolution  renewing 
the  franchise  was  about  to  be  voted  upon,  as  a  cit- 
izen of  New  York  deeply  interested  in  the  matter 
he  demanded  to  be  heard.  Before  permission 
was  either  granted  or  refused  by  the  astonished 
presiding  officer,  Gormly  drew  from  his  pocket  a 
piece  of  paper.  Amid  the  deepest  silence  he  held 
it  up  and  said: 

"  I  offer  ten  million  dollars  for  this  franchise. 
If  it  be  granted  me,  I  shall  guarantee  to  operate 
the  road  in  the  interests  of  the  people,  and  turn 
over  all  the  profits  above  six  per  cent,  on  my  in- 
vestment, to  the  people  themselves." 

The  room  was  thronged  with  citizens,  from  at 
least  half  of  whom  there  burst  forth  the  most  spon- 
taneous and  heartfelt  roar  of  applause  that  ever 
smote  the  ears  of  the  miscalled  city  fathers. 

"  Lest  there  should  be  any  doubt  of  my  ability 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD      203 

to  make  good,"  continued  the  merchant,  "  I  beg 
to  say  that  I  have  here  in  my  hand  a  forfeiture 
check  for  one-fourth  of  the  amount  in  question, 
which  is  certified  to  by  the  City  of  Gotham  Na- 
tional Bank." 

'  The  gentleman  is  out  of  order,"  remarked  the 
presiding  officer  as  soon  as  he  could  recover  his 
equipoise.  "  We  are  not  auctioning  off  public 
franchises  to  the  highest  bidder.  We  are  grant- 
ing this  one  in  the  interests  of  the  public  to  the 
company  which  has  already  served  the  people  so 
well  and  has  assumed  the  burden  of  the  great  sys- 
tem of  which  this  is  the  necessary  connecting 
link." 

"  Sir !  "  cried  Gormly,  amid  a  chorus  of  groans, 
hisses,  and  cheers,  "  I  protest  against  — " 

"  Any  other  interruptions  from  the  speaker," 
came  quickly  from  the  chair,  "  and  any  further  ex- 
pressions of  approval  or  disapproval  from  the 
spectators,  will  result  in  the  clearing  of  the  room 
by  the  sergeant  at  arms." 

"  And  if  the  sergeant  at  arms  wants  help,"  cried 
Connell,  the  chief,  a  burly  blue  coated  figure  gor- 
geous in  gold  lace,  who  stood  in  a  position  where 
he  could  observe  the  whole  assembly,  "  the  police 
force  of  the  city  is  at  your  service." 

**  I  call,"  said  one  of  the  Aldermen,  "  for  a  vote 
on  the  resolution." 

'  Those  in  favor  of  the  granting  of  the  fran- 
chise will  say  aye,"  immediately  said  the  chairman. 


204  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

There  was  a  furious  chorus  of  "Shame! 
shame !  "  from  a  great  number  of  spectators  in 
which  the  feeble  "  ayes  "  were  scarcely  heard. 

"  Those  opposed,"  went  on  the  voice  of  the 
chairman,  trembling  with •  excitement,  "will  sig- 
nify it  by  saying  no." 

A  thundering  shout  of  "  Noes  "  rang  through 
the  hall,  the  few  in  opposition  making  up  by  their 
vociferation  for  their  small  numbers. 

"  The  ayes  have  it,"  said  the  chairman,  ham- 
mering on  the  desk  with  his  gavel! 

"  Division !  Division !  "  clamored  the  opposi- 
tion, v 

"  Those  in  favor,"  continued  the  chairman,  dis- 
gusted at  being  compelled  to  put  the  administra- 
tion thus  on  record,  but  powerless  to  prevent  it, 
"  will  stand  up." 

Amid  shouts  and  cries  and  disorder  never  be- 
fore equaled,  the  members  of  the  administration 
got  to  their  feet.  The  whip  that  had  been  cracked 
over  their  heads  had  been  used  to  effect.  Some  of 
them  were  mere  ignorant  tools;  others  were  able 
to  understand  what  they  were  doing.  They  all 
voted  alike.  A  score  of  alert  reporters  from  care- 
fully prepared  lists  were  checking  off  the  votes. 

"The  ayes  have  it;  the  ordinance  is  passed," 
cried  the  chairman  triumphantly,  after  the  noes 
had  been  called  to  their  feet  and  counted. 

"  I  move,"  said  Alderman  Hellman,  "  that  we 
do  now  adjourn." 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD       205 

The  motion  was  carried  with  a  rush,  and  in- 
stantly the  spectators  began  a  wild  scramble  from 
the  hall.  Among  the  first  to  leave  was  Gormly. 
The  corridor  and  stairs  were  packed  with  people 
who  had  been  unable  to  gain  admittance  to  the 
chamber,  but  had  learned  what  was  toward. 
Through  them  Gormly  and  his  bodyguard  forced 
a  way.  Outside  the  scene  was  not  unlike  that  of 
an  election  night ;  for  City  Hall  Park  was  crowded 
with  a  great  mass  of  excited  citizens. 

When  Gormly's  well  known  figure  was  seen  in 
the  doorway,  a  great  shout  of  acclaim  rose  from 
the  multitude. 

There  were  many  there  who  belonged  to  the 
administration.  They  had  been  judiciously  distrib- 
uted throughout  the  crowd  to  leaven  it  and  were 
under  the  control  of  careful  organization  and  lead- 
ership. They  strove  to  drown  the  cheering  by 
groans,  hisses,  catcalls,  mockeries,  and  insults,  but 
without  much  avail. 

Gormly  had  not  intended  to  speak;  but  the 
opportunity  was  too  good  to  be  lost.  As  he 
descended  the  steps,  the  cheering  changed  into  a 
demand  for  a  speech  from  him.  No  hustings  had 
been  prepared,  but  by  the  curbstone  stood  a  big, 
high  powered  automobile.  It  was  filled  with  peo- 
ple. Livingstone  Haldane  sat  in  the  chauffeur's 
seat.  The  place  beside  him  was  vacant. 

"  Up  here,  Mr.  Gormly !  "  he  cried,  pointing. 

Without  observing  who  was  in   the   tonneau, 


206  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Gormly  clambered  up  to  the  seat  and  stood  on  it. 
He  was  thus  lifted  sufficiently  high  above  the 
crowd. 

"  Fellow  citizens,"  he  began  as  the  cheering  sub- 
sided and  the  multitude  gave  him  opportunity  to 
speak,  "  you  know  that  in  order  to  complete  the 
ring  of  oppression  which  holds  the  city  in  its  iron 
grasp  under  the  name  of  the  Gotham  Freight 
Traction  Company,  it  was  necessary  that  the  old 
franchise  of  the  New  York  Street  Car  Company 
expiring  to-day  should  become  the  property  of 
that  company.  The  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company  is  the  most  gigantic  combination  which 
has  ever  been  formed  to  rob  an  unsuspecting  and 
indifferent  people.  Through  the  franchises  they 
already  enjoy,  they  have  created  an  institution 
that  will  enable  them  to  continue  their  predatory 
practises  — " 

"  Talk  English !  "  shouted  a  voice  from  the 
crowd. 

"  Thank  you,  my  friend,"  answered  Gormly. 
"  Which  will  enable  them  to  steal  from  you  your 
money,  your  earnings,  your  investments,  your 
profits,  your  capital,  whatever  you  have  for  the 
next  one  hundred  years.  They  have  sold  bonds 
to  pay  for  the  building  of  the  road;  not  one  cent 
of  their  own  money  has  gone  into  it.  They  have 
issued  stock  to  themselves  to  double  or  quadruple 
the  value  of  the  investment,  and  they  are  deter-' 
mined  to  make  you  pay  interest,  large  interest,  on 
that  stock  as  well  as  on  the  bonds.  But,  in  order 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  'IS  HEARD      207 

that  they  can  carry  out  this  nefarious  and  thiev- 
ing proposition,  they  must  secure  this  franchise 
which  expired  to-day,  otherwise  their  traction 
lines  will  be  incomplete,  will  end  in  the  air,  there 
will  be  no  connection  between  its  ends ;  for  the  ter- 
ritory covered  by  this  franchise  is  so  situated  that  if 
the  lines  are  to  be  connected  it  must  be  through 
this  territory.  Consequently  this  franchise  is  the 
most  valuable  of  the  few  remaining  properties  of 
the  people.  You  own  it;  it  belongs  to  you.  By 
holding  it  in  your  own  control,  you  can  bring  this 
gang  of  robbers  and  thieves  in  the  City  Hall  and 
out  of  it  to  terms.  It's  your  last  chance  to 
get  your  rights.  If  you  hold  it,  they  are  at  your 
mercy. 

"I  do  not  propose  injustice  or  unfair  treat- 
ment. Every  citizen  is  entitled  to  a  square  deal; 
the  capitalist  and  the  laborer;  the  rich  man  and 
the  poor  man.  The  law  and  justice  recognize 
citizens  as  individuals,  and  if  I  am  elected  I  shall 
deal  fairly  between  the  members  of  all  ranks  and 
stations,  businesses  and  classes. 

"  This  franchise,  the  possession  of  which  means 
so  much  to  you,  is  about  to  be  given  away.  The 
council  has  overwhelmingly  passed  an  ordinance 
granting  it,  without  restrictions,  to  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company  for  the  space  of  one 
hundred  years.  Will  you  sanction  that?  " 

The  square  was  now  seething  with  excitement. 
Gormly's  clear,  powerful  voice  carried  to  the  ex- 
tremes of  the  crowd.  His  plain,  practical  pres- 


208  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

entation  was  simple  enough  for  all  to  understand. 
Indeed,  most  of  the  men  present  knew  all  that  he 
was  saying.  He  paused  at  this  juncture  and  sur- 
veyed the  crowd.  A  voice  suddenly  cried  a  shrill 
negative,  and  instantly  the  word  was  caught  up 
and  a  great  thundering  chorus  of  u  No,  no ! 
Never !  "  rolled  through  the  park  with  ever  in- 
creasing volume  and  vehemence. 

If  Gormly  had  looked  back,  he  could  have  seen 
the  windows  of  the  City  Hall  crowded  with  alder- 
men, white  faced  and  anxious,  listening  to  that 
tremendous  and  even  furious  negative. 

"  Let's  get  the  aldermen  out  here !  "  cried  a 
voice  in  a  pause  in  the  commotion,  "  and  show  'em 
what  we  think!  " 

There  was  an  instant  response  to  the  sugges- 
tion. The  people  made  a  wild  surge  toward  the 
entrance  of  the  City  Hall.  Hands  were  raised, 
fists  were  shaken,  voices  cried  hoarsely.  The 
multitude  could  easily  have  degenerated  into  a 
mob.  But  Gormly  checked  it.  His  control  was 
admirable. 

"  No,  gentlemen,"  he  cried,  "  no,  men  and 
citizens  of  New  York.  We  must  do  things  law- 
fully. The  grant  has  not  become  a  law;  it  has 
not  been  signed  by  the  Mayor.  Believe  me,  they 
will  not  be  insensible  to  this  protest.  Let  it  be 
repeated  in  every  local  organization;  let  every 
member  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen  be  warned  by 
his  constituents  not  to  press  this  bill,  to  reconsider 
his  action  at  once. 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD       209 

"  Gentlemen  — "  he  held  up  a  piece  of  paper. 
One  of  the  tall  lights  in  the  square  illuminated 
his  face  and  figure.  His  every  action  was  dis- 
tinctly visible  to  the  multitude  — "  I  have  here  in 
my  hand  a  check,  certified  by  the  City  of  Gotham 
National  Bank,  for  two  and  one-half  millions  of 
dollars.  Before  this  ordinance  was  passed  this 
evening,  not  ten  minutes  ago,  I  offered  this  sum  of 
money  as  a  forfeiture,  binding  me  to  pay  ten  mil- 
lions for  the  franchise  in  question.  I  offered  to 
subscribe  to  an  agreement  which  would  limit  my 
own  returns  to  six  per  cent,  upon  my  investment; 
and  promised  that  the  people  should  have  every 
cent  of  profit  over  and  above  that  legitimate 
amount.  The  offer  was  refused;  that  check  was 
declined,  but  it  still  holds  good.  I  make  the  offer 
not  merely  to  the  cringing,  subservient,  whipped 
into  line  aldermen,  but  to  you,  the  people.  I  have 
heard  it  said  often  that  money  talks.  Well,  here 
is  my  money.  Is  it  talking  now  ?  " 

"It's  talkin'  so  the  whole  world  can  hear!" 
burst  forth  from  some  deep  voiced  man  in  the 
crowd. 

"  It  isn't  a  foolish  proposition  that  I  make.  It 
shows  the  value  of  that  franchise  that  I  am  will- 
ing to  give  this  amount  of  money  for  it,  because  I 
know  I  will  make  a  decent  return  on  my  invest- 
ment, and  further,  great  sums  for  the  people. 
But  whether  they  accept  it  or  not,  I  am  willing  to 
spend  this  sum,  and  more  too  if  it  is  necessary,  in 
legitimate  ways  to  drive  from  power  the  gang  that 


210  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

has  made  the  city  a  byword,  that  has  brought  re- 
proach upon  New  York  and  every  citizen  of  it. 
Don't  misunderstand  me,  fellow  citizens;  not  one 
penny  of  this  amount,  or  any  other  amount  will 
ever  be  spent  for  bribery,  to  influence  or  persuade 
against  his  judgment  any  man  to  vote  for  me  or 
for  any  policy.  If  you  want  to  know  how  the 
money  is  spent,  you  can  read  from  week  to  week 
published  statements  covering  every  expenditure." 

"  What're  you  going  to  get  out  of  it?  "  asked 
a  voice. 

"  I  am  going  to  be  elected  Mayor  of  New  York 
by  you  men,"  answered  Gormly.  "  I  am  going 
to  get  the  consciousness  that  I  have  an  opportu- 
nity to  give  New  York  a  clean,  decent,  law  abid- 
ing administration,  without  graft.  I  am  going  to 
put  the  people  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  rights; 
or  rather  they  are  going  to  put  themselves  there 
by  my  election.  I  am  alone  in  this  world  — " 

"  Not  much  you  ain't !  "  cried  a  voice.  "  You've 
more  friends  than  any  man  in  New  York." 

"  Friends  I  have  in  plenty,  I  see,"  was  the 
quick  answer;  "but  I  have  neither  wife  nor  rela- 
tives nor  children.  Some  men  like  to  spend  their 
money  in  building  libraries  and  hospitals,  soup 
kitchens  and  art  galleries.  I  had  rather  spend 
mine  for  the  benefit  of  all  the  people;  for  there 
isn't  a  citizen,  man  or  woman  or  child,  who  will 
not  be  benefited  by  a  clean,  decent  administration 
of  municipal  affairs. 

"  I  made  my  money  here.     Every  dollar  of  it 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD      211 

you  gave  to  me.  I  am  giving  it  back  to  you.  We 
worked  together  to  make  it ;  I  by  selling  you  good 
goods  and  telling  the  truth  about  it,  and  you  by 
paying  a  fair  price  for  it  and  coming  back  if  you 
were  not  satisfied.  We  will  work  together  in  the 
same  way  now.  If  you  give  me  the  opportunity 
to  administer  the  affairs  of  the  city,  I  pledge  my 
business  honor,  at  which  no  man  can  point  a  finger, 
that  I  will  do  it  honestly  and  honorably  to  the 
satisfaction  of  honest  and  honorable  men,  or  you 
can  throw  me  over." 

"  Now,  remember,"  the  speaker  continued  as 
wild  cheers  greeted  this  announcement,  "  that 
clamor  and  glamor  don't  win  elections;  that 
shouting  and  cheering  are  all  very  well  in  their 
way,  but  it  is  votes  that  count.  You  must  see 
that  your  votes  are  deposited,  and  then  you  must 
see  that  they  are  fairly  counted.  I  beg  that  you 
will  disperse  now,  go  home,  and  make  it  your  busi- 
ness to  see  your  aldermen  about  this  franchise. 
Do  it  quickly  and  do  it  hard." 

"  We'll  see  them  now !  "  yelled  one  voice  after 
another  in  quick  succession. 

"  Let  'em  come  out  here!  " 

"We'd  like  to  talk  to  'em!" 

"  Give  us  a  chance  at  them !  " 

"Where's  the  Mayor?" 

The  square  was  in  a  tumult  again,  which  even 
Gormly  for  the  moment  was  helpless  to  control. 

Now  the  Hon.  Peter  D.  Warren  was  in  the 
City  Hall.  He  had  heard  all  that  had  been 


212  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

said,  and  witnessed  all  that  had  been  done.  Al- 
though he  was  a  briber  and  a  corruptionist,  he 
was  not  without  courage.  It  seemed  to  him  that 
the  psychological  moment  for  his  advent  had  ar- 
rived. Therefore,  he  hastily  made  his  way 
through  the  corridors  filled  with  trembling  and 
frightened  aldermen,  and  boldly  appeared  on  the 
outside  steps  back  of  Gormly.  He  was  recog- 
nized at  once.  The  adherents  of  the  administra- 
tion who  found  themselves  in  the  minority  to  their 
great  surprise,  cheered  loudly;  but  their  cheers 
were  drowned  out  by  yells  and  groans  and  deri- 
sive cries.  The  Mayor  stood  quietly,  a  little  pale, 
but  apparently  undaunted.  He  waved  his  hands 
for  silence.  Gormly  assisted  him  in  quelling  the 
tumult.  The  Mayor  stepped  to  the  extreme  edge 
of  the  portico;  but  before  he  could  begin  his 
speech,  the  same  burly  voiced  man  who  had  been 
such  a  useful  adjunct  to  Gormly  interrupted  him. 
"  We  don't  want  to  hear  any  speech  from  you 
to-night.  We  just  want  to  express  our  opinion  on 
the  question  of  the  franchise.  We  want  you  to 
hear  it,  and  we  want  you  to  answer  one  question. 
Mr.  Gormly,"  he  roared,  his  great  voice  compell- 
ing attention,  and  as  he  spoke  he  sprang  up  on  the 
steps  of  the  automobile  and  faced  the  crowd,  "  we 
want  you  to  ask  the  Mayor  of  this  city  if  he's 
going  to  sign  the  bill  granting  the  franchise. 
But  before  you  do  that  we  want  you  to  tell  him 
what  we  citizens  of  New  York  think  of  the  prop- 
osition." 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD       213 

Through  the  crowd  at  this  moment  came  charg- 
ing a  platoon  of  police,  at  the  head  of  which  was 
the  chief  himself.  The  men  handling  their  sticks 
shouldered  their  way  roughly  through  the  people 
groaning,  raging,  swearing,  about  them.  Connell 
laid  his  hand  on  the  speaker  and  sought  to  drag 
him  from  the  automobile.  The  man  struck  back 
violently;  clubs  flashed  in  the  air.  The  multi- 
tude in  another  instant  would  have  been  a  mob. 
Gormly  it  was  who  came  again  to  the  rescue. 

"  These,"  he  promptly  interposed,  raising  his 
voice,  "  are  peaceable  citizens  discussing  a  great 
public  question.  I  appeal  to  you  as  Mayor  of 
this  city  to  call  off  the  police.  Take  your  hand 
off  that  man's  collar,  Connell,"  he  shouted,  "  or 
by  the  living  God  I'll  turn  this  mob  upon  you 
and  there  won't  be  a  rag  left  of  you  and  your 
bluecoats!  " 

He  stepped  down  to  the  body  of  the  car  as  he 
spoke;  and  before  the  chief  realized  what  he  was 
about  he  seized  him  by  the  collar  and  threw  him 
backward.  It  was  a  magnificent  exhibition  of 
strength  and  nerve  and  courage. 

11  Call  them  off,"  he  shouted  to  the  Mayor,  "  or 
I  won't  be  answerable  for  the  consequences! 
They  will  storm  the  City  Hall.  If  you  let  them 
alone,  they  won't  do  any  harm.  They  are  peace- 
able citizens.  They  shall  not  be  interfered 
with!" 

As  soon  as  he  stopped,  the  roar  of  the  mob  be- 
gan. Some  were  there  who  thought  they  had 


214  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

never  heard  a  sound  so  terrible  and  so  menacing. 
The  Mayor,  not  without  good  sense,  came  to  the 
rescue. 

"  So  long,"  he  said  in  his  powerful,  finely  modu- 
lated voice,  "  as  these  people  do  nothing,  they 
shall  not  be  interfered  with.  March  your  offi- 
cers up  here  to  the  steps  of  the  City  Hall,  Chief!  " 
he  cried. 

There  was  nothing  for  Connell  but  obedience. 
The  big  superintendent  was  brave  enough.  He 
would  have  liked  nothing  better  than  a  fight  with 
the  mob,  whatever  might  be  the  result;  but  in  the 
face  of  such  an  order  he  could  only  comply.  Shak- 
ing his  baton  fiercely  at  Gormly,  he  gave  an  order 
to  his  men,  and,  followed  by  the  curses  and  groans 
of  the  multitude,  they  marched  up  the  steps  of  the 
City  Hall  and  grouped  themselves  about  the 
Mayor. 

"  I  want  to  tell  you,"  cried  Gormly,  mounting 
to  the  seat  again  and  now  thoroughly  aroused,  his 
voice  ringing  like  a  trumpet,  "  that  you  have  no 
need  of  police  protection  in  the  presence  of  the 
people  of  New  York." 

"  Let  me  speak !  "  said  the  Mayor. 

"  No !  "  thundered  the  crowd.  "  We  don't 
want  to  hear  you  speak!  " 

"  Mr.  Mayor,"  said  Gormly,  "  these  people 
want  to  express  an  opinion  to  you.  Fellow  citi- 
zens, those  who  are  in  favor  of  indorsing  the  ac- 
tion of  the  council  in  granting  the  franchise  to  the 
Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  will  say  aye." 


215 

Every  henchman,  every  follower,  every  ally, 
every  official  present,  cried,  "  Aye !  " 

It  made  a  brave  showing  until  the  negative  was 
put,  when  such  a  roar  of  disapproval  arose  that  it 
was  like  the  breath  of  the  gods  and  fairly  shook 
the  ancient  stones  of  the  hall.  The  trees  seemed 
to  quiver  under  it;  the  lights  danced  before  it. 
The  yelling  and  cheering  kept  up  for  several 
minutes. 

"  Now,  sir,"  said  Gormly,  "  you  see  what  our 
masters  the  people  think.  They  wish  me  to  put 
to  you  a  question.  If  such  a  measure  comes  be- 
fore you,  will  you  veto  it  or  will  you  not?  " 

The  Mayor  was  in  a  dilemma,  a  fearful  one. 
He  was  quick  enough  to  see  that  his  whole  politi- 
cal future,  the  future  of  his  party,  practically  de- 
pended upon  his  action;  for  after  such  temper  as 
had  been  exhibited,  it  was  patent  that  the  matter 
would  be  the  most  prominently  discussed,  most 
bitterly  criticized,  most  vehemently  espoused,  of 
any  issue  in  the  campaign.  If  he  did  not  declare 
his  purpose  to  veto  the  bill,  he  and  his  party  were 
doomed.  If  he  took  some  other  course,  they 
would  still  have  a  fighting  chance.  The  alder- 
men, who  had  already  put  themselves  on  record, 
must  be  sacrificed.  What  of  that?  There  were 
larger  issues  involved  than  the  return  of  a  body 
of  men  of  that  kind.  The  Mayor  rose  to  the 
occasion. 

"  Gentlemen,"  he  said,  "  my  action  shall  be  dic- 
tated by  yourselves." 


216  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"Answer!  Answer!  No  speech!"  roared 
the  crowd. 

"  Every  man  is  entitled  to  his  chance,"  said 
Gormly,  "  and  I  beg  you  to  hear." 

"  I  will  pledge  you  my  word,"  continued  the 
Mayor,  "  that  so  far  as  I  have  power  the  is- 
suance of  this  franchise  shall  be  determined  by  the 
election.  If  I  am  so  fortunate  as  to  receive  a 
majority,  I  shall  take  it  as  a  sign  that  you  indorse 
the  policy  which,  with  an  eye  single  to  the  public 
interest,  believes  that  it  demands  the  granting  of 
this  franchise  to  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company,  which  has  already  served  you  so  well. 
If  on  the  contrary,  my  distinguished  opponent 
shall  prevail,  the  matter  will  be  left  for  his  deter- 
mination." 

"  You  won't  sign  the  bill  if  it  comes  to  you 
then?  "  asked  some  one  in  the  crowd. 

"  I  will  not,  and  I  will  use  what  influence  I  have 
to  see  that  it  is  not  presented  to  me,"  was  the 
answer. 

"  Nothing,"  said  Gormly,  "  could  be  fairer  than 
that.  The  issue  is  clearly  and  sharply  drawn.  If 
you  want  to  perpetuate  the  power  of  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company,  you  have  only  to 
reelect  the  present  Mayor.  If  you  want  to  re- 
sume your  own  control  of  affairs,  you  have  only  to 
elect  me.  I  don't  ask  you  now  which  it  shall  be. 
I  don't  want  any  more  cheering.  I  want  you  to 
go  to  your  homes  and  go  to  work.  Good  night." 

He  sank  down  in  the  automobile,  covered  with 


VOICE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  HEARD    217 

perspiration  and  trembling  with  nervous  excite- 
ment. 

"  Have  you  any  more  appointments  for  to- 
night? "  asked  Livingstone. 

"  None.     Take  me  out  of  here." 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  young  Haldane,  "  will  you 
make  way  for  the  next  Mayor?  He  served  you 
well  to-night,  and  I  want  to  take  him  home  to 
rest." 

Amid  tumultuous  cheering  and  applauding,  the 
crowd  opened  a  line  through  which  the  big  auto- 
mobile slowly  moved  over  toward  Broadway  and 
then  sped  upward  through  the  night. 

Connell  turned  to  the  Mayor.  "  Shall  I  drive 
these  dogs  out  of  the  square?  Curse  'em!  "  he 
cried. 

Nothing  would  have  suited  the  Mayor  better; 
but  policy  would  not  permit. 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  just  picket  the  approaches  to 
the  City  Hall.  Let  the  people  alone.  They  will 
disperse  now." 

Indeed  they  were  already  beginning  to  break 
away. 

"  Well,  you've  gone  and  done  it  now,  for  sure," 
said  Connell,  giving  the  necessary  orders.  "  Un- 
less you  get  elected,  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company's  busted." 

"  We're  all  *  busted,'  as  you  say,"  said  Warren 
gloomily,  "  unless  I  am  elected." 

The  Mayor  turned  away  and  walked  into  the 
City  Hall.  Rutherford  met  him  at  the  door. 


218  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 


I  want  to  congratulate  you,"  he  said,  "  on  your 


course." 


"  Do  you  approve  of  it?  " 

"  Approve !  It  was  the  nerviest  sort  of  a  thing 
for  you  to  do,  but  the  only  thing.  That  damned 
Gormly  had  you  dead  to  rights;  but  you  took  the 
wind  out  of  his  sails." 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  the  Mayor,  ner- 
vously. "  What  will  Liffey  and  Benson  and  the 
rest  say?  " 

"I  don't  know,"  returned  Rutherford;  "but 
whatever  they  say,  it  was  the  only  thing  on  God's 
earth  to  do,  and  they  ought  to  be  glad  that  you 
had  the  nerve  to  do  it.  Now,  we've  got  to  win 
the  election." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Mayor;  "  but  how?  " 

Outside  the  City  Hall  a  slender,  quiet,  but 
shrewd  looking  man  edged  his  way  carefully 
through  the  rapidly  dispersing  crowd  until  he 
caught  sight  of  Connell  standing  on  the  steps 
scowling  at  the  multitude,  black  rage  in  his  heart. 

"  Well,"  said  the  chief,  as  the  man  came  close 
to  him,  "  any  news?  " 

The  man  nodded. 

"What!"  roared  the  officer.  "Have  you 
got—" 

"  I  have  a  clue,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Come  in  here  1  "  said  the  chief,  laying  his 
hand  on  the  other  man's  shoulder,  and  in  his  ex- 
citement and  eagerness  almost  jerking  him  into 
the  City  Hall. 


CHAPTER  XI 

MISS   HALDANE  LISTENS  TO  A  DECLARATION 

t?OR  some  distance  the  automobile  sped  on- 
•*•  ward.  Before  one  of  the  big  wholesale 
buildings  on  lower  Broadway,  now  entirely  dark, 
it  suddenly  stopped  in  obedience  to  a  signal  from 
the  tonneau.  A  hand  was  laid  on  Gormly's  shoul- 
der, and  a  voice  he  knew  and  to  which  he  thrilled 
spoke  to  him. 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Miss  Haldane,  "  that  was 
the  most  magnificent,  splendid,  dramatic  scene  I 
ever  witnessed  or  participated  in." 

Gormly  rose  to  his  feet  instantly  and  faced 
about. 

"  You  were  there,  Miss  Haldane !  "  he  ex- 
claimed. 

"  Didn't  you  see  me?  "  asked  the  girl,  a  note  of 
disappointment  in  her  voice. 

"  And  didn't  you  see  me?  "  put  in  Miss  Stewart 
opportunely. 

"  Well,  girls,"  said  Livingstone  Haldane,  "  how 
long  are  you  going  to  keep  us  stopping  here?  " 

"  I  was  about  to  suggest,"  said  Miss  Stewart, 
"  that  Mr.  Gormly  and  I  change  places.  I  don't 
want  to  talk  to  you  particularly ;  but  I  know  that 
219 


220  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Eleanor  wants  to  speak  to  Mr.  Gormly,  and — " 

The  words  were  not  out  of  her  mouth  before 
Gormly  had  leaped  to  the  street  and  opened  the 
door.  He  assisted  Miss  Stewart  to  the  place  he 
had  vacated,  and  took  her  place  in  the  big  roomy 
tonneau.  As  soon  as  the  exchange  had  been  ef- 
fected, Haldane  started  up  the  street  again. 

"  I  am  sure  now  that  I  was  aware  of  your  pres- 
ence, Miss  Haldane,"  said  Gormly  quietly.  He 
looked  very  white  and  tired,  careworn  and  hag- 
gard, thought  the  girl,  as  they  passed  under  an 
electric  light  which  for  a  moment  illuminated  his 
features.  "  And  because  of  that  I  know  that  I 
never  spoke  better." 

"  It  was  a  great  occasion,"  was  the  reply,  "  and 
great  occasions  make  great  speeches." 

"  That  and  the  consciousness  —  unconscious,  if 
you  will,  if  I  may  use  such  a  contradiction  —  that 
you  were  listening  —  dare  I  not  say  sympatheti- 
cally?—  carried  me  through." 

"  It  was  glorious.  You  played  upon  those  peo- 
ple as  I  might  play  upon  — " 

"  Me,"  said  Gormly  softly. 

"  Upon  an  instrument  of  music,"  continued  the 
girl.  "  I  think  your  election  is  sure." 

"  I  think  so  too,"  was  the  answer;  "  but  I  am 
not  indulging  in  any  overconfidence,  and  there  is  to 
be  no  weakening  of  effort  until  the  last  minute." 

"  That's  right,"  said  the  woman  quickly.  "  Do 
you  really  think  the  Mayor  meant  what  he  said: 
that  he  will  do  what  he  said  he  would  do?  " 


A  DECLARATION  221 

"  Not  a  doubt  of  it,"  was  the  answer.  "  He 
would  not  dare  to  do  otherwise.  Every  paper  in 
New  York  will  be  filled  with  the  scene  to-morrow. 
Listen!" 

They  had  by  this  time  reached  Fourteenth 
Street.  Although  it  was  long  after  the  ordinary 
time  for  the  issuance  of  the  latest  editions  of  the 
newspapers,  newsboys  were  already  crying  ac- 
counts of  the  episode  on  the  streets,  and  papers 
were  being  bought  eagerly  on  every  hand. 

"  You  see,"  said  Gormly,  "  he's  bound  now  to 
do  it.  He  has  committed  himself." 

"  You  forced  him  to  do  so." 

"  Well,  I  had  some  hand  in  it;  but  after  all  the 
people  forced  him." 

"  It's  a  good  augury,  isn't  it  ?  They  will  under- 
stand their  own  power  better." 

"  Yes,  I  think  so,"  said  the  man. 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  she  turned  suddenly  full  upon 
him,  "  why  have  you  said  to  my  brother  that  I 
must  not  come  to  the  store  any  more  to  consult  you 
on  business  matters?  " 

"  My  dear  Miss  Haldane,"  said  Gormly.  "  I 
did  that  for  your  sake." 

"But  why?" 

"  I  have  ascertained  that  I  am  being  shadowed 
by  practically  all  the  detectives  of  the  City  Hall 
force;  that  I  am  watched  constantly;  that  all  my 
visitors  are  noted;  and  I  did  not  wish  to  involve 
you  in  any  notoriety  whatsoever.  Therefore,  al- 
though I  had  no  knowledge  that  you  would  come 


222         THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

or  that  you  wanted  to  come,  I  thought  it  proper  to 
advise  you  through  your  brother  not  to  do  so." 

"  Of  course  I  wanted  to  come,"  said  the  young 
woman,  earnestly.  "  I  have  read  every  scrap  per- 
taining to  the  campaign.  I  have  done  what  I 
could  among  such  friends  as  I  was  able  to  influence 
to  get  them  to  aid  you.  It  was  through  me  that 
Livingstone  proffered  his  services.  I  even  tried 
my  father,  but  I  have  been  unable  to  make  any 
impression  upon  him;  and  I  wanted  to  hear  from 
you  directly  how  things  were  going.  Of  course 
Livingstone  tells  me;  but  it  is  not  like  hearing 
from  you." 

"  I  realize  all  that  you  have  done,  and  you  can't 
imagine,  Miss  Haldane,  how  great  a  deprivation 
it  was  to  me  to  send  such  a  message,  and  how  hard 
a  course  it  was  to  decide  upon." 

"  I  made  Livingstone  bring  us  both  down  here 
to-night.  He  told  me  you  were  going  to  attempt 
to  stop  the  passage  of  that  franchise.  I  counted 
upon  meeting  you.  I  thought  we  could  take  you 
away  in  the  car  for  a  little  time,  and  that  I  could 
have  an  opportunity  to  assure  you  how  fervently 
we  are  all  praying  for  your  success.  But  I  never 
dreamed  that  I  was  going  to  be  the  spectator  of 
such  a  scene  as  that  which  has  just  happened.  I 
don't  believe  there  was  ever  anything  more  dra- 
matic or  splendid  in  the  history  of  American  poli- 
tics. Why,  it  was  like  a  new  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence !  When  that  multitude  surged  back  and 
forth,  crying,  yelling,  threatening,  and  muttering, 


A  DECLARATION  223 

I  followed  every  emotion  in  my  own  heart.  I 
never  was  so  thrilled  in  my  life.  I  am  glad  to 
have  lived  through  this,  to  have  seen  it,  to  have 
been  a  small  part  of  it." 

"  You  can't  imagine,"  said  Gormly,  "  how  great 
a  part  of  it  you  have  been.  I  will  not  say  that  I 
am  doing  it  all  for  you  now;  that  would  not  be 
true  or  fair.  But  you  were  my  inspiration  in  the 
beginning,  your  words,  your  presence.  Miss  Hal- 
dane,  I  have  something  to  say  to  you." 

The  slowly  moving  automobile  was  by  this  time 
in  the  midst  of  the  theatrical  district.  Although 
it  was  late  for  the  theaters,  there  were  still  crowds 
of  people  on  the  street.  One  of  them  recognized 
Gormly  and  signalized  his  knowledge  by  leading  a 
cheer.  Others  caught  it  up,  and  the  automobile 
moved  up  Broadway  through  a  continuous  and 
ever  increasing  roar  of  admiration  and  applause. 
It  was  not  until  the  quieter  sections  above  Forty- 
fifth  Street  had  been  reached  that  Gormly  could 
resume  the  conversation. 

"  First  of  all,"  he  began,  when  speech  was  again 
practicable,  "  where  are  you  taking  me?  " 

"  Anywhere  you  want  to  go.  You  said  you  had 
no  engagement,  you  know."  Miss  Haldane 
leaned  forward  and  touched  her  brother,  tie 
stopped  the  car  again  and  turned  about.  "  Mr. 
Gormly  wants  to  know  where  we  are  going." 

"  I  thought  we'd  swing  over  past  the  park  and 
go  out  Riverside  Drive.  We  can  get  a  decent  bite 
to  eat  in  some  quiet  place  along  the  river  road, 


224  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

and  a  spin  will  do  us  all  good.  Is  that  agreeable 
to  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  in  your  hands,"  answered  Gormly  grate- 
fully. "  And  indeed  I  think  I  should  like  it  very 
much.  I  had  no  idea  how  tired  I  was  and  you 
don't  know  how  few  opportunities  I  get  like  this 
for  an  hour's  quiet  enjoyment." 

"  Leave  it  to  me,"  said  young  Haldane.  "  I'll 
turn  you  up  at  your  apartment  in  proper  time  and 
in  good  shape.  To-night  you  are  going  to  enjoy 
yourself  and  drop  the  campaign  for  a  little  while." 

Gormly  sank  back  in  the  luxurious  seat  as  the 
machine  started  once  more,  with  an  expression  of 
great  relief.  He  had  said  he  was  tired.  No  won- 
der! The  strain  of  three  or  four  months'  cam- 
paigning had  been  enough  to  test  his  nerve  and 
vitality  to  the  very  limit.  He  had  enjoyed  no 
opportunity  for  relaxation.  The  pace  had  been 
too  swift,  the  going  too  hard,  for  that.  He  had 
not  dared  to  let  up  for  a  single  moment.  He 
would  not  have  dared  it  then ;  but  being  caught  up, 
abducted  as  it  were,  he  gave  himself  up  unre- 
servedly to  the  joy  of  the  moment.  To  find  him- 
self flying  through  the  city  by  the  side  of  the 
woman  he  loved,  so  near  that  he  could  reach  his 
hand  out  and  touch  her,  if  he  possessed  the  right, 
was  happiness  enough.  To  have  won  her  ap- 
proval, to  have  heard  her  thrilling  words  of  appre- 
ciation, to  enjoy  at  the  same  time  the  consciousness 
that  in  what  had  up  to  this  time  been  the  supreme 


A  DECLARATION  225 

moment  of  his  life  he  had  been  lucky  enough  to 
have  her  present,  completed  his  satisfaction. 

There  was  only  one  cloud  on  his  horizon,  and 
that  lay  in  some  information  confirmatory  of  a 
suspicion  he  had  entertained  ever  since  Christmas 
Eve,  which  had  come  to  him  that  afternoon.  It 
was  now  about  to  be  settled  beyond  doubt  that  the 
controlling  spirit  of  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company,  against  which  he  was  making  his  great 
battle,  whose  downfall  was  after  all  the  object  of 
his  campaign,  not  for  any  other  reason,  however, 
than  that  it  stood  for  all  that  was  bad  in  municipal 
administration,  was  her  father.  Some  of  the 
shrewdest  and  ablest  of  his  allies  had  been  doing 
some  investigating  on  their  own  account,  and  they 
had  discovered  this  fact.  He  was  merely  waiting 
for  some  final  evidence  before  taking  action. 

Whether  or  not  Gormly  would  have  engaged  in 
the  battle,  if  he  had  had  foreknowledge  of  this 
alliance  between  the  father  of  the  woman  he  loved 
and  the  powers  he  was  trying  to  overthrow,  is  a 
question.  As  to  his  present  attitude,  he  had  begun 
his  campaign  with  mingled  feelings.  It  had  been 
at  first  in  a  certain  sense  and  for  a  short  time  a 
campaign  for  the  winning  of  Eleanor  Haldane; 
but  larger  issues  had  speedily  relegated  that  as  a 
motive  into  the  background,  and  now  the  cam- 
paign made  every  possible  appeal  to  his  honor  as  a 
man,  to  his  sense  of  duty  as  a  citizen.  And  while 
Eleanor  Haldane  bulked  large  before  him,  he 


226  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

knew  that  no  matter  what  might  be  the  result  of 
the  campaign  so  far  as  she  was  concerned,  he  must 
of  absolute  necessity  press  on  to  the  end  of  it.  He 
wanted  to  win  for  her;  but  if  it  became  necessary, 
he  would  win  without  her,  and  for  the  people's 
sake. 

The  confirmation  of  his  suspicions  had  given 
him  a  great  shock.  He  feared  that  the  disclosure, 
which  would  be  inevitable  in  a  short  time,  would 
put  Eleanor  Haldane  farther  away  from  him 
than  ever;  but  he  realized  as  that  consciousness 
came  to  him  that  whether  that  was  so  or  not,  he 
must  go  on.  He  felt  deeply  for  her.  He  knew 
her  ideals;  he  realized  what  an  awful  and  appall- 
ing shock  it  would  be  for  her  when  she  learned  the 
unworthiness  of  her  father.  He  knew  too  that 
the  information  would  have  to  come  from  him; 
that  he  could  not  afford  to  shut  his  eyes  to.  the  sit- 
uation; that  it  was  necessary  at  the  proper  time 
to  proclaim  the  connection.  He  might  not  do  it 
personally;  but  it  must  be  done  by  his  adherents 
and  with  his  permission. 

It  would  make  his  election  probably  certain  to 
reveal  to  the  public  the  vast  corruptive  influences 
behind  the  traction  company  and  the  Sachem  So- 
ciety. His  agents  had  been  thorough  in  their 
work,  and  they  had  discovered  what  nobody  sus- 
pected; that  the  syndicate  of  which  Haldane  was 
the  head  practically  controlled  all  the  public  util- 
ities and  afforded  all  the  financial  backing  for  the 
Sachem  Society  and  its  immense  corruption  fund. 


A  DECLARATION  227 

If  it  had  been  a  case  of  mere  personal  ambition 
on  Gormly's  part,  he  would  have  thrown  over  his 
desire  for  her  sake  without  question.  But  it  was 
more  than  that.  It  was  a  case  of  serving  the  peo- 
ple; it  was  a  case  of  redeeming  a  great  city;  it  was 
a  case  of  being  true  to  the  thousands  of  men  who 
on  the  strength  of  his  declaration  had  rallied  to 
his  support  and  had  cast  their  lot  in  with  him. 
It  was  not  to  be  thought  of.  Not  for  any  reward 
that  could  be  imagined  could  Gormly  draw  back 
now.  To  win  was  more  imperative  than  ever, — 
to  win  even  if  he  lost  her. 

Neither  in  his  heart  of  hearts  did  he  think,  if 
she  knew  the  situation,  that  she  would  have  him 
draw  back.  The  sense  of  her  father's  position 
might  break  her  heart;  but  she  was  of  Roman  stuff 
in  her  soul,  he  believed,  and  capable  of  any  sacrifice 
for  the  right. 

Gormly  had  meant  to  carry  on  his  campaign  to 
the  end,  and  then  tell  her  that  he  loved  her  and  ask 
her  to  be  his  wife.  He  saw  swiftly  that  with  all 
the  complications  before  him  this  would  be  an  en- 
tirely fruitless  proceeding.  Indeed,  if  under  more 
favorable  circumstances  he  could  have  won  her 
affections,  it  was  probable  that  now  such  an  en- 
deavor would  be  unavailing.  He  had  been  won- 
dering since  the  knowledge  had  come  to  him  how 
he  could  get  speech  with  her  without  too  great 
publicity,  and  behold  fortune  had  given  him  the 
chance.  At  whatever  hazards  he  intended  to  avail 
himself  of  it. 


228  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Miss  Haldane,"  he  began  after  they  had  been 
running  along  for  some  time  in  silence,  "  I  said 
that  I  had  something  to  say  to  you.  I  don't  sup- 
pose either  the  time  or  the  circumstances  are  pro- 
pitious, but  necessity  compels  me  to  say  it  now." 

"  I  shall  be  very  glad  indeed  to  listen  to  any- 
thing that  you  have  to  say  to  me,"  was  the  answer. 

"  I  had  intended  to  defer  this  statement  until 
after  I  was  elected,  until  I  had  really  achieved 
something." 

"  Whether  you  are  elected  or  not,  you  have 
achieved  a  great  deal." 

"  I  cannot  agree  with  you  as  to  that ;  but  it  is  a 
matter  about  which  we  won't  waste  any  argument. 
I  thought  that  if  I  had  really  done  something  or 
put  myself  in  a  position  to  do  something,  for  I  will 
not  disguise  from  you  that  the  election  is  but  the 
first  part  of  the  battle.  If  I  am  so  fortunate  as  to 
win,  I  shall  have  an  infinitely  harder  fight  to  keep 
my  pledges  to  the  people  and  to  carry  on  the  ad- 
ministration as  it  should  be  carried  on  than  I  shall 
have  gone  through  with  to  get  the  election." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  will  not  be  easy;  but 
I  have  confidence  that  you  will  do  it." 

"  Thank  you.  I  meant  —  it  was  my  purpose 
—  I  intended  —  when  I  had  won  the  first  step  to 
ask  you  if  you  would  not  help  me  with  the  rest  of 
the  battle." 

"  Help  you,  Mr.  Gormly?  " 

"  Yes,  Miss  Haldane,  I  purposed  to  ask  you  to 
be  my  wife." 


A  DECLARATION  229 

"  Your  wife !  "  exclaimed  the  girl. 

"  It  surprises  you  doubtless.  Possibly  it  dis- 
mays you." 

"  It  surprises  me,  certainly." 

"  And  yet  you  must  have  known,  you  must  have 
seen, —  you  are  woman  enough  for  that, —  that  I 
cared  a  great  deal  for  your  opinion." 

"  I  will  not  deny  it,  Mr.  Gormly,"  returned  the 
girl.  "  Things  you  have  said,  not  so  much  that 
perhaps  as  the  way  you  have  said  them,  have  led 
me  to  think  so.  But  I  really  never  imagined  — 
You  see  there  is  so  much  difference  — " 

"  I  know  that  I  am  almost  old  enough  to  be 
your  father,"  returned  the  man  gravely.  "  I  am 
no  boy.  Therefore,  I  am  the  more  sure  and  con- 
vinced of  what  I  say,  and  you  can  be  the  more  sure 
also  that  I  —  love  you." 

He  faltered  over  the  unfamiliar  words.  The 
girl  stole  a  glance  at  him  in  the  moonlight.  He 
stared  straight  ahead  of  him  and  looked  grim 
enough.  He  had  moved  over  in  the  broad  seat, 
almost  in  contact  with  her,  in  order  that  he  might 
be  heard  by  her  and  by  no  one  else  in  the  car, 
which  was  now  flying  up  the  river  drive  at  a  great 
pace. 

"It  is  a  great  honor  that  you  pay  me,"  began 
the  woman. 

"  Wait !  "  said  the  man.  "  I  am  not  through. 
I  did  not  intend  to  tell  you  to-night.  As  I  say,  I 
was  going  to  wait  until  I  had  something  worth 
while  to  offer;  but  things  that  I  have  learned  have 


230  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

made  it  necessary  in  my  judgment  to  inform  you 
of  this  fact  at  once." 

"  What  things,  Mr.  Gormly?  " 

"  Indeed,  I  cannot  tell  you ;  at  least  not  now.  A 
political  campaign  in  some  aspects  is  a  terrible 
thing.  Charges  are  made,  accusations  are  brought, 
hidden  things  disclosed,  and  sometimes  the  com- 
plexion of  affairs  changes  in  a  day." 

"  Is  some  one  making  charges  against  you  or 
discovering  things  about  you?  " 

"  No  one.     It  is  not  of  myself  I  am  thinking." 

"  Of  whom !     Of  what  then  ?  " 

"  As  I  said  before,"  returned  the  man,  "  I  can 
say  no  more.  It  seems  to  me  that  now  my  honor 
demands  that  I  put  you  in  possession  of  the  state 
of  my  feelings.  I  am  not  asking  you  if  you  care 
anything  for  me.  I  realize  that  you  could  not. 
It  is  easy  for  me  to  have  fallen  in  love  with  you, 
indeed  I  don't  see  how  I  could  have  helped  it;  but 
the  case  with  you  is  different.  I  think  I  am  per- 
haps a  man  who  might  win  a  woman's  affection; 
but  it  would  never  come  spontaneously.  I  would 
have  to  show  what  was  in  me,"  he  went  on,  with 
complete  and  utter  ignorance  of  the  process,  which 
he  was  keen  enough  to  discover  in  his  own  case  and 
stupid  enough  to  know  nothing  of  with  regard  to 
womankind.  "  And  I  want  you  to  know,  what- 
ever happens  in  these  closing  days  of  the  cam- 
paign, that  I  do  truly  and  devotedly  love  you. 
Great  God!  Miss  Haldane,  I  haven't  used  these 
words  to  a  soul  since  I  was  a  boy.  You  can't 


A  DECLARATION  231 

know  what  they  mean  to  me,  what  I  would  like  to 
have  them  mean  to  you.  Some  day,  it  may  be 
soon,  I  shall  ask  you  to  be  my  wife;  but  now  all 
that  I  want  to  impress  upon  you  is  that  whatever 
happens  to  me  or  anyone,  I  am  pledged  to  you  in 
my  heart  forever.  Nothing  can  make  any  differ- 
ence in  my  feelings.  You  understand  that?  " 

He  turned  his  head  and  looked  directly  at  her. 
Unconsciously  he  reached  his  hand  out  and  caught 
her  by  the  arm.  The  woman  faced  him  steadily. 
She  did  not  even  make  a  motion  to  draw  her  arm 
away. 

"  I  understand  entirely,"  she  said. 

"  And  you  —  you  will  —  do  you  think  — " 
He  stopped.  "  No,"  he  said,  "  I  shall  stop  there, 
with  this  moment,  with  this  statement.  I  ask 
nothing,  I  expect  nothing,  and  so  far  as  a  man  can 
crush  down  his  own  feelings,  I  hope  for  nothing. 
I  just  want  you  to  know  the  fact." 

"  I  know  it,"  was  the  answer.  "  Now,  you  must 
let  me  say  something.  I  am,  at  least  I  believe  my- 
self to  be,  absolutely  heart  free.  Sometimes  I 
have  thought  that  what  you  have  said  might  be 
true,  with  regard  to  your  feelings  I  mean;  but  I 
have  tried  to  put  it  out  of  my  mind.  Your  dec- 
laration, therefore,  comes  to  me  with  a  certain 
measure  of  surprise.  You  have  not  asked  me  any- 
thing, and  it  is  just  as  well  that  you  have  not.  I 
think  I  can  say  honestly  and  truthfully  that  I  do 
not  care  for  you  now  in  the  way  you  seem  to  care 
for  me." 


232  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Seem  to  care  for  you,"  cried  the  man  impul- 
sively. 

'  The  way  you  do  care  for  me  then,"  returned 
the  woman. 

"  That's  better." 

"  And  whether  I  could  care  in  that  way,  I  don't 
know;  but  at  least  I  care  for  no  one  else.  And 
while  I  hold  myself  as  free  as  the  air,  when  you 
speak  to  me  again  on  this  subject,  I  shall  at  least 
be  ready  to  hear  you." 

"  That  is  all  that  I  can  ask." 

"  Meanwhile  I  want  to  say  over  and  over  again 
how  I  respect  you,  how  I  admire  you.  The  fine 
life  you  have  lived,  the  splendid  stand  you  have 
taken  for  public  right,  the  crowning  of  your  long 
and  honorable  and  unblemished  career  with  the 
success  which  I  think  I  see  before  you  and  with 
the  great  opportunity  for  service,  fills  me  with 
pride.  You  have  been  good  enough  to  say  that  I 
had  a  part  in  It.  There  never  will  be  anything  in 
my  life  of  which  I  shall  be  more  proud  than  of 
that,  if  it  should  be  true." 

"  Miss  Haldane,"  said  Gormly,  "  what  you  say 
to  me  is  sweeter  and  more  precious  than  the  ac- 
claim, the  applause,  the  indorsement,  of  all  the 
rest  of  the  people  of  New  York.  As  I  said,  I  be- 
gan this  to  make  myself  worthy  of  you;  but  I 
would  not  be  worthy  of  you,  I  would  not  be  worth 
considering  in  any  light,  if  I  did  not  say  to  you 
now  that  I  am  carrying  it  on  for  the  work  and  for 


A  DECLARATION  233 

the  possibilities  that  it  presents,  as  well  as  for 
you." 

"  I  believe  you,"  said  the  woman,  "  and  I  am 
glad  to  have  you  say  that." 

"  Although  there  is  nothing  in  my  life  I  so  covet 
as  you,  Miss  Haldane,"  went  on  the  man  with  the 
blunt  honesty  that  somehow  appealed  to  the 
woman  much  more  powerfully  than  more  graceful 
and  romantic  wooing,  "  yet  if  I  had  to  choose  now 
between  you  and  this  great  opportunity  for  service 
to  the  people  — " 

He  paused  and  looked  at  her  again,  wondering 
how  she  would  receive  the  statement  he  was  deter- 
mined to  make. 

"  You  would  choose  the  opportunity  for  serv- 
ice," interposed  the  woman  quickly. 

"  I  should  have  to  do  so." 

"  And  you  would  do  well,"  she  said  without  any 
mental  reservation.  Yet  there  was  a  little  pang 
of  disappointment  in  her  heart  at  his  frank  admis- 
sion, which,  if  she  had  stopped  to  consider  it, 
might  have  told  her  more  of  her  true  feelings  than 
she  had  been  willing  to  admit  or  than  he  had  sus- 
pected. "  I  could  not  respect  you,"  she  went  on, 
"  if  you  allowed  one  woman  or  anyone  to  influence 
you  now." 

"  And  yet  you  still  remain  my  inspiration,"  said 
the  man.  "  Your  approbation  means  more  to  me 
than  anything  or  everything  else.  I  don't  know 
what  fate  has  in  store  for  me;  but  I  doubt  if  I 


234  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

shall  have  another  opportunity  of  the  magnitude 
of  that  I  have  enjoyed  to-night,  and  that  you  were 
there  completes  my  satisfaction." 

"  Mine,  too." 

"  Yet,  there  is  another  thing  that  I  ought  to 
say,"  continued  Gormly  and  this  was  the  hardest 
thing  he  had  ever  attempted,  he  thought.  "  You 
have  spoken  of  my  career,  of  my  long  and  hon- 
orable record,  of  my  enblemished  reputation.  I 
have  to  confess  to  my  shame  that  I  am  not  alto- 
gether worthy  of  your  confidence." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  Ever  since  I  have  been  in  New  York,  there  is 
no  act  of  my  life  that  I  could  not  tell  you  myself; 
but  before  that  — " 

1  You    were    a    boy    then,"    said    the    woman 
quickly. 

"  But  I  mingled  with  life  in  an  ugly  way." 

"  That  ride  in  the  snow  ?  "  she  whispered,  star- 
ing at  him  in  turn. 

It  did  not  occur  to  him  to  lay  any  emphasis  upon 
or  draw  any  inference  from  the  fact  that  she  had 
remembered  his  remarks  of  several  months  before. 

"  And  that  other  woman,  was  it  she  for  whom 
you  rode?  "  she  went  on. 

"  Yes,"  said  he. 

"  Did  you  do  anything  that  makes  you  un- 
worthy the  respect  of — " 

"  Not  anything  dishonorable  in  one  sense,"  an- 
swered Gormly.  "  And  whatever  it  was,  I  have 
repented  of  it  long  since  and  would  have  made 


A  DECLARATION  235 

amends  if  I  could  have  done  so;  but —  Well,  if 
I  ever  should  come  to  you  with  that  question  about 
being  my  wife,  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it.  As  it  is, 
I  don't  want  even  the  faintest  shadow  of  a  pre- 
tense about  myself  where  you  are  concerned." 

"  You  were  only  a  boy,  as  you  say,  Mr. 
Gormly,"  said  Miss  Haldane  after  a  long  pause. 
"  I  don't  know  what  it  is,  nor  do  I  wish  to,  now. 
I  know  what  you  are,  the  world  knows  what  you 
have  been  since  you  have  been  here,  and  I  — " 
She  extended  her  hand  to  him.  "  I  trust  you,  I 
would  trust  you  with  anything." 

The  man  took  it  in  both  his  own.  They  were 
stretching  out  beyond  the  city.  No  one  was  near. 
The  two  in  front  were  busy  about  their  own  con- 
cerns. He  bent  over  and  kissed  it  fervently. 

"  I  thank  you  for  that,"  he  said  simply,  as  he 
released  it. 


BOOK  III 
THE  CRUCIAL  MOMENTS 


237 


CHAPTER  XII 

MRS.    HALDANE    IS    SURPRISED 

*  I  XHE  Haldane  family  usually  partook  of 
•*•  luncheon  together.  Breakfast  was  an  ir- 
regular meal  taken  at  different  times  by  different 
members  of  the  household,  and  dinner  usually 
brought  many  engagements  which  widely  sepa- 
rated them.  A  few  days  after  the  automobile 
ride,  while  the  excitement  over  the  proposed  grant- 
ing to  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  of 
the  New  York  Street  Car  Company  franchise  was 
still  at  its  height,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haldane  and  their 
daughter,  after  waiting  sometime  for  the  arrival 
of  Livingstone  Haldane,  sat  down  to  luncheon 
without  him. 

The  conversation  turned,  as  it  usually  did,  on 
the  campaign.  Haldane  looked  worried.  Well 
he  might  be!  The  bold  and  decisive  action  of 
Gormly,  his  adroitness  in  wresting  the  pledge  that 
he  had  got  from  the  Mayor,  the  fact  that  the  city 
was  now  thoroughly  aroused  and  as  never  before 
to  the  situation,  were  calculated  to  increase  his 
anxiety,  which  had  grown  with  the  progress  of 
the  campaign.  Public  sentiment  was  apparently 
overwhelmingly  against  the  party  in  power  and 
the  Sachem  Society,  and  while  by  clever  manipula- 

239 


240  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

tion  the  society  and  its  allies  had  often  won  out 
in  the  face  of  public  opposition,  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  do  so  in  this  instance.  The  brilliant  stroke 
of  Gormly  when  he  offered  ten  million  dollars 
for  the  franchise  and  thereafter  compelled  Warren 
to  declare  the  granting  of  it  to  depend  upon  the 
election  had  greatly  increased  the  probabilities  of 
defeat. 

There  were  indications  also,  which  added  to 
Haldane's  troubles,  that  his  own  connection  with 
the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  would 
soon  be  known,  and  that  there  would  be  disclosed 
to  New  York  at  the  same  time  the  operation  of 
that  gigantic  company,  its  ramifications,  and  the 
control  it  had  of  public  utilities  in  every  direction. 
There  was  only  one  ray  of  light  in  the  darkness 
anywhere,  and  that  at  present  was  scarcely  more 
than  a  suggestion.  Whether  anything  would 
come  of  it  or  not  was  yet  to  be  determined.  If  it 
did  not,  the  case  was  almost  hopeless. 

It  was  Eleanor  who  opened  the  conversation, 
after  the  luncheon  had  been  served  and  the  serv- 
ants had  withdrawn. 

"  Father,"  she  said,  "  I  have  been  thinking  for 
some  days  now  that  I  ought  to  tell  you  something 
that  happened  the  other  night." 

"What  night,  Eleanor?" 

"  The  night  Mr.  Gormly  made  his  famous 
speech  in  the  City  Hall  square.  You  know  Liv- 
ingstone and  Louise  and  I  were  down  there  in  the 
car  and  saw  and  heard  it  all." 


MRS.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED        241 

"  Yes,"  said  her  father,  somewhat  bitterly,  "  it 
was  told  to  me  the  next  morning  that  Gormly  had 
spoken  from  your  brother's  car  and  that  after  it 
was  all  over  he  had  ridden  away  with  you  two 
young  women." 

"Told  to  you?"  exclaimed  his  daughter. 
"  Why  should  you  be  interested  in  Mr.  Gormly's 
movements?  " 

Haldane  saw  that  he  had  made  a  mistake.  "  I 
mean,"  he  said  quickly,  "  that  I  heard  of  all  this 
from  some  of  those  who  were  present." 

"  Eleanor,  I  am  surprised,"  began  Mrs.  Hal- 
dane in  her  loftiest  and  most  impressive  manner, 
"  that  you  should  allow  yourself  to  be  mixed  up 
with  this  ineffable  person  in  any  way.  It  is  bad 
enough  to  have  Livingstone  espousing  his  cause; 
but  to  have  you  associated  with  him  in  the  public 
eye,  or  out  of  it,  is  simply  preposterous!  " 

"  Mother!  "  said  Miss  Haldane  mildly;  but  the 
elder  woman  was  not  to  be  stopped. 

"  The  family  has  never  been  allied  with  trade 
since  it  has  been  settled  on  Manhattan  Island.  I 
am  a  five-barred  Colonial  Dame;  your  father's 
people  are  nearly  as  old;  and  I  say  frankly  that  I 
do  not  like  your  intimacy  with  this  person.  Of 
course  Livingstone  being  a  man,  it  does  not  make 
so  much  difference;  but  you  should  be  more 
careful." 

"  I  think  it  proper,"  said  Miss  Haldane  at  this 
juncture,  "  to  inform  you  that  Mr.  Gormly  told 
me  that  he  —  that  he  cared  very  much  for  me." 


242  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"What!  "  exclaimed  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hal- 
dane  at  the  same  moment  and  with  one  voice. 

The  intimation,  however,  and  the  feeling  ex- 
pressed in  both  cases  were  decidedly  different. 
Both  were  surprised;  but  Mrs.  Haldane's  surprise 
was  lost  in  indignation.  In  Haldane's  amaze- 
ment, there  was  a  shade  of  relief.  A  possibility 
instantly  leaped  into  his  mind,  a  possibility  that  he 
dared  not  formulate  or  give  utterance  to.  It  ren- 
dered him  less  emphatic,  therefore,  in  his  disap- 
proval. Nothing  restrained  Mrs.  Haldane. 

'  The  impudence,  the  insolence  of  that  man !  " 
she  cried.  "  It  was  bad  enough  to  have  him  as- 
pire to  be  Mayor  of  New  York;  but  that  he 
should  have  the  audacity,  the  presumption  to  raise 
his  eyes  to  you,  Eleanor  Haldane,  is  inconceivable ! 
I  trust  that  you  reduced  him  to  his  proper  position 
instantly.  For  one  thing,  I  am  glad  that  he  did 
declare  himself;  for  now  the  acquaintance  will  be 
absolutely  ended." 

"  He  did  not  ask  me  to  be  his  wife,"  returned 
the  daughter  quietly. 

"  Why,  good  gracious !  you  don't  mean  to  say 
that  he—" 

"  Eliza,"  interposed  Haldane,  "  don't  be  fool- 
ish. I  have  no  doubt  that  Mr.  Gormly's  remarks 
were  entirely  proper." 

"  Mother !  "  exclaimed  the  girl  indignantly. 
"  Of  course  they  were." 

"  Well,  you  said  yourself  he  did  not  ask  you  to 
marry  him." 


MRS.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED        243 

"  No,"  was  the  hesitating  answer.  "  But  he 
said  he  intended  to  do  so." 

"  I  wish  he  would  do  it  then,  and  have  it  over 
with." 

"  My  dear  wife,"  said  Haldane,  "  while  of 
course  such  an  alliance  is  not  to  be  thought  of,  yet 
Mr.  Gormly,  so  far  as  I  know,  has  done  no  dis- 
honor to  Eleanor  by  his  remark,  and — " 

"  Have  you  taken  leave  of  your  senses,  Beek- 
man  Haldane?"  cried  his  wife.  "Such  a  prop- 
osition as  that  should  be  disposed  of  at  once,  and  I 
repeat  I  am  sorry  that  the  man  hesitated,  for  what- 
ever reason  I  can't  imagine,  so  that  the  affair 
might  have  been  conclusively  settled." 

"  I  am  not  at  all  sure,  mother,"  answered  Miss 
Haldane,  "  that  it  would  have  been  conclusively 
settled  in  the  way  at  least  you  seem  to  think  the 
only  way  possible,  if  he  had  asked  me  to  be  his 
wife." 

"  Eleanor,  you  could  not  possibly  love  this 
man!" 

"  I  could  do  so;  but  I  certainly  do  not  love  him 
now.  I  certainly  respect  and  admire  him,  I  think 
he  is  the  leading  citizen  of  New  York  to-day.  If 
he  wins  this  election  and  goes  on  as  he  should, 
there  is  no  reason  why  he  should  not  be  President 
of  the  United  States.  I  believe  it  would  be  easier 
to  be  elected  to  that  office  than  to  become  Mayor. 
And  while  I  do  not  feel  toward  him  as  I  should 
toward  the  man  I  will  someday  marry,  yet  there 
are  many  other  things  in  the  prospect  that  allure." 


244  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  But  you  are  a  Haldane,  you  are  a  Stuyvesant, 
you  are  — " 

"  I  know,  mother,  all  that  my  ancestors  were. 
As  for  myself,  I  am  just  an  American  girl,  who 
likes  American  men  and  American  institutions,  and 
who  is  glad  to  see  people  do  things." 

"  I  presume,"  said  Haldane,  who  had  said  lit- 
tle but  had  thought  deeply,  "  that  such  a  proposi- 
tion, if  definitely  made,  would  be  made  to  me." 

"  Well  then,  of  course,"  said  his  wife,  "  you 
will  give  but  one  answer." 

"  And  what  would  you  suggest  that  should 
be?  "  asked  Haldane. 

"  To  show  him  the  door." 

"  I  hardly  think,"  returned  her  husband,  "  that 
I  should  be  guilty  of  that  discourtesy." 

"  There  is  no  use,"  interposed  her  daughter, 
"  to  discuss  the  matter  any  further;  for  he  hasn't 
asked  me,  I  haven't  accepted  him.  I  don't  know 
whether  he  ever  will  ask  me  or  not,  and  until  he 
does  why  trouble  about  it  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure,"  returned  Mrs.  Haldane,  "  that  I 
would  never  have  given  it  a  second  thought  if  I 
had  been  certain  that  you  appreciated  the  obliga- 
tions of  your  position.  Why,  you  might  be  a 
Duchess  or  anything  else!  And  yet  you  are  ac- 
tually hesitating  about  being  the  wife  of  a  shop- 
keeper." 

"  No,  mother,  I  am  not  hesitating  about  it  at 
all;  for,  as  I  have  said,  he  hasn't  asked  me  to  be 
his  wife." 


MRS.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED      245 

"  Well,  what  does  he  mean  then  by  telling  you 
that  he  loves  you  ?  Loves !  "  sneered  the  older 
woman  disdainfully. 

"  Yes,"  said  her  father,  "  it  seems  to  me  a 
rather  remarkable  course  for  a  man  to  address 
a  woman  in  that  way,  and  yet  not  complete  his 
proposition." 

"  He  said  that  something  was  impending  which 
made  him  feel  that  it  was  proper  to  tell  me  this 
now." 

"  Something  impending?  " 

"  Some  sort  of  disclosure,  I  inferred,"  an- 
swered the  girl,  "  that  might  affect  him  or  pos- 
sibly me." 

Haldane  started. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  I  do  not  quite  agree  with 
your  mother.  There  is  no  insult  in  the  honest 
affection  of  any  honest  man.  Of  course,  it  is  ab- 
surd and  impossible  from  one  point  of  view  for 
a  man  of  Mr.  Gormly's  social  rank  and  position 
and  privileges  to  dream  of  aspiring  to  a  family  like 
ours, —  your  mother's  and  mine,  which  I  may  say 
is  quite  as  good  as  hers,  by  the  way.  But  if  he 
approaches  you  again  upon  the  subject,  I  wish 
that  you  would  refer  him  to  me." 

"Father!" 

"  Beekman !  "  exclaimed  the  older  woman, 
greatly  surprised.  "  You  don't  mean  — " 

"  Now,  I  don't  mean  anything,  except  just  what 
I  say,"  answered  Haldane  decisively.  "  It  is 
proper  that  such  a  proposition  should  be  made  to 


246  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

me;  and  in  short  I  very  greatly  desire  to  be  al- 
lowed to  discuss  the  matter,  if  it  goes  any  further, 
with  Mr.  Gormly  personally." 

Haldane  spoke  sternly,  and  his  wife  at  once 
subsided,  as  she  invariably  did  when  he  assumed 
that  mood.  Eleanor,  however,  was  not  so  easily 
silenced. 

"  Of  course,  in  any  event  you  would  be  con- 
sulted, father,"  she  said  firmly;  "but  so  far  as 
the  disposition  of  my  hand  goes,  that  is  a  matter 
that  concerns  my  heart,  and  it  is  one  which,  al- 
though I  should  be  very  glad  of  your  counsel  and 
your  approval,  I  shall  have  to  decide  myself." 

"  Quite  so,  quite  so,"  said  Haldane.  "  I  have 
no  other  idea." 

At  this  moment,  which  threatened  to  grow  more 
tense,  Livingstone  Haldane  entered  the  room. 
He  was  greatly  perturbed  and  alarmed. 

"  Father,"  he  said  abruptly,  "  I  want  to  see  you 
alone  for  a  moment  or  two  please !  " 

"  Have  you  had  your  luncheon,  Livingstone?  " 
asked  his  mother. 

"Yes  —  no  —  I  don't  care  anything  about  it," 
returned  the  young  man.  "  I'm  too  busy  and  too 
disturbed  for  anything  of  that  kind." 

"What  has  happened?"  began  Haldane, 
rising. 

"  Why,  Mr.  Gormly  —  But  I  would  rather 
see  you  alone." 

"  Has  he  made  a  proposition  to  you  for  your 
sister's  hand?"  questioned  Mrs.  Haldane. 


MRS.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED         247 

"What!"  exclaimed  her  son. 

"  Eleanor,"  explained  his  mother,  "  has  just 
stated  that  Mr.  Gormly  took  advantage  of  your 
kindness  to  him  the  other  night,  after  that  dis- 
graceful episode  in  the  City  Hall,  to  make  love 
to  her  in  the  tonneau  of  the  car." 

"You  don't  say!"  exclaimed  the  young  man, 
apparently  neither  shocked  nor  surprised.  "  Well, 
he's  a  good  one.  What  did  you  say  to  him,  sis  ?  " 

"  It  is  very  unpleasant  to  me  to  have  these  mat- 
ters discussed  in  this  way,"  answered  Eleanor,  her 
face  flushing.  "  As  I  have  explained  to  father 
and  mother,  Mr.  Gormly  did  me  the  honor  to 
say  that  he  cared  a  great  deal  for  me.  He  did 
not  ask  me  to  be  his  wife,  although  he  expressed 
his  intention  of  doing  so.  He  said  that  certain 
things  had  made  him  anticipate  his  purpose  and 
state  his  feelings  toward  me  now  without  waiting, 
as  he  had  expected  to  do,  until  the  end  of  the 
election." 

"What  things?"  asked  young  Haldane. 
"  Things  that  concerned  him,  or  — " 

"  I  don't  know  what  they  are." 

"  Well,  I  think  I  do,"  returned  the  young  man. 

"What  are  they?"  his  sister  asked  him  with 
great  eagerness. 

But  young  Haldane  was  not  quite  prepared  to 
declare  what  things  they  were. 

"  On  second  thoughts,"  he  said,  evasively  "  I 
don't  know.  At  any  rate  I  want  to  talk  some 
matters  over  with  father." 


248  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Financial  matters,  my  boy?  " 

"  Political." 

"  Very  well.  If  your  mother  and  sister  will 
excuse  us,  we  will  go  into  the  library." 

"  Certainly,"  answered  Mrs.  Haldane,  making 
virtue  of  necessity. 

"  If  they  concern  me  or  my  relation  to  Mr. 
Gormly,"  said  Eleanor,  "  I  should  like  to  know 
them  immediately." 

"  They  concern  us  all,"  he  answered.  "  And, 
by  the  way,"  he  added,  "  I  was  going  to  withhold 
it ;  but  I  might  as  well  give  it  to  you  now.  Here's 
a  letter  to  you  from  Mr.  Gormly.  He  asked  me 
to  give  it  to  you  when  I  saw  you.  I  was  going 
to  talk  to  father  about  this  other  matter  before 
I  gave  it  to  you;  but  you  can  read  it  over  while 
we  are  gone." 

"  The  impudence  of  that  man,  saying  he  loves 
you  one  day  and  writing  to  you  another!  "  ex- 
claimed Mrs.  Haldane,  as  the  father  and  son  left 
the  room. 

"  What  was  it  you  wished  to  say  to  me,  Living- 
stone? "  began  the  older  man  as  they  entered  the 
library. 

"  Father,"  returned  his  son  with  bewildering 
abruptness,  "  I  learned  at  headquarters  to-day  that 
you  were  the  head  and  front  of  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company  and  all  the  rotten  lot 
against  whom  we  are  fighting." 

The  expected  had  happened,  but  Haldane  met 
it  directly  and  like  a  man.  For  all  his  excite- 


MRS.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED       249 

ment  he  faced  his  son  with  a  manner  much  more 
composed  and  equally  as  firm  as  that  in  which  the 
young  man  was  at  the  time.  Indeed  the  son  could 
not  but  admire  the  bearing  of  the  father  in  the 
face  of  this,  to  him,  crushing  revelation. 

"  From  whom  did  you  learn  this?  "  asked  the 
older  man  quietly. 

"  From  Gormly  himself." 

"  Does  anybody  else  know  it?  " 

"  It  isn't  generally  known,  if  that's  what  you 
mean.  It  hasn't  got  in  the  papers  yet.  The  peo- 
ple who  found  it  out,  of  course,  told  Gormly,  and 
he  came  to  me  with  it.  He  said  that  I  had  been 
one  of  his  best  and  most  useful  helpers  in  this 
campaign;  that  he  valued  my  assistance  most 
highly  — " 

"  Eliminate  all  that,  my  dear  boy,"  said  the 
father,  "  and  come  to  the  point." 

"  I  am  coming  to  it.  He  said  that  as  his  fight 
was  against  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Com- 
pany, and  in  that  respect  against  you,  he  supposed 
I  would  want  to  draw  out  of  it,  and  he  would 
give  me  an  opportunity,  so  that  I  could  leave  hon- 
orably before  the  news  became  public." 

"  And  what  did  you  say?  " 

"  I  said  I'd  come  right  up  here  and  find  out 
the  true  facts  in  the  case  from  you." 

"  And  suppose  that  I  am  —  er  —  interested  in 
the  traction  company?" 

"To  what  extent  are  you  interested?"  asked 
the  younger  man. 


250  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

He  had  all  his  father's  directness  when  his  feel- 
ings were  aroused  as  in  this  case,  and  he  put  the 
question  straight  at  him. 

''  Well,  that  was  not  the  question  I  asked  you." 

"  But  it  is  the  question  with  me,  father." 

u  I  recognize  no  right  that  you  have  to  put 
such  questions  to  me." 

"  I  may  not  have  any  right;  but  I  am  doing  it 
just  the  same.  I  know  and  we  all  know  just  what 
the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  is.  Its 
ramifications  have  been  followed  out  and  discov- 
ered. We  know  that  it  holds  nearly  every  public 
franchise.  We  know  that  it  is  the  financial  backer 
of  the  Sachem  Society.  We  know  that  it  is  hand 
in  glove  with  the  administration.  We  know  that 
it  is  robbing  the  people.  And  for  that  reason  I 
want  to  know  how  deeply  you  are  interested  in  it." 

"  Go  back  to  Gormly  and  find  out !  "  thundered 
his  father,  intensely  angered  at  the  young  man's 
scathing  denunciation. 

"  No,  sir,  I'm  going  to  find  it  out  from  you 
before  I  leave  this  room." 

"  Do  you  threaten  me?  " 

"  I  entreat  you  to  tell  me.  You  might  as  well. 
It  is  to  be  published  in  every  paper  in  the  city  to- 
morrow. The  articles  are  all  written.  I  saw 
them.  I've  got  Gormly  to  hold  them  back  until 
I  could  see  you.  If  you  don't  tell  me,  you'll  have 
a  chance  to  deny  perhaps  a  great  deal  more  than 
you  want  to  or  are  able  to-morrow  morning." 
The  situation  was  a  terrible  one  for  the  older 


MRS.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED       251 

man.  Under  ordinary  circumstances,  he  would 
not  have  greatly  cared  if  his  connection  with  the 
Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  and  the  ad- 
ministration had  gradually  leaked  out;  but  to 
have  it  sprung  as  a  trap,  without  warning,  on  the 
instant  as  it  were,  and  at  this  stage  of  the  cam- 
paign, was  ruinous.  Haldane  appreciated  the  ef- 
fect it  would  have  upon  the  political  fortunes  of 
his  party,  upon  his  financial  interests,  upon  the 
election;  most  of  all  he  appreciated  the  effect  it 
would  have  upon  his  daughter.  At  his  son's 
blunt  announcement  of  his  determination  to  know 
all  then  and  there,  he  lost  for  the  moment  his 
nerve,  his  fine  self  control  and  he  went  suddenly 
white.  The  two  men  had  been  standing.  The 
elder  sat  down  upon  a  chair  by  the  desk  and 
leaned  his  head  upon  his  hands. 

"  Let  me  think,"  he  said  faintly  at  last. 

"  You  don't  have  to  think,"  went  on  the  young 
man  with  unconscious  cruelty,  "  to  say  how  deeply 
you  are  involved  in  the  affairs  of  the  Gotham 
Freight  Traction  Company." 

"  As  deeply  as  anybody  can  be,"  was  the  des- 
perate admission. 

"Good  God!"  exclaimed  Livingstone,  sur- 
prised in  spite  of  his  forewarning.  "  You !  It 
isn't  possible.  I  saw  the  proofs  with  my  own 
eyes,  and  yet  I  wouldn't  believe  that  you  would 
ally  yourself  with  that  gang  of  thieves  and 
scoundrels." 

"  Somebody   had   to  take   that   franchise   and 


252  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

build  that  road,"  answered  his  father.  "  We  are 
giving  the  people  good  service,  and — " 

"  Don't  make  excuses,"  said  the  young  man, 
brushing  them  away  with  a  wave  of  his  hand. 
"  How  on  earth  are  we  going  to  explain  the  facts? 
What  will  Eleanor  think?  " 

"  You  have  influence  with  Gormly,"  said  the 
father.  "  Go  to  him.  Tell  him  that  I  must  see 
him  and  at  once.  Can  you  bring  him  here?  " 

"  Well,  he's  watched  like  a  hawk,"  said  young 
Haldane.  "  Your  dirty  crowd  has  detectives  on 
his  trail  all  over  New  York.  If  he  came  up  here, 
it  would  be  reported  in  every  paper  in  the  city  to- 
night and  to-morrow  morning." 

"  You  took  him  away  with  you  once.  You 
must  get  me  an  interview  with  him  immediately." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?  What  are  you 
going  to  say  to  him?  " 

"  Never  mind  that.     I  must  see  him." 

"  Look  here,  father.  I  am  not  mixed  up  with 
the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  and  that 
gang  that  you're  allied  with,  and  I  don't  intend 
to  be  involved  in  any  schemes  you  may  undertake 
to  get  Gormly  in  trouble." 

"  I  don't  intend  to  make  any  trouble.  I  must 
see  the  man,  and  you  must  arrange  it.  Come,  are 
you  my  son,  or  are  you  not?  " 

"  I  am  your  son  all  right,"  answered  the 
younger  man ;  "  but  I  tell  you  frankly  that  I  have 
cast  in  my  lot  with  Gormly  and  this  isn't  going 


MRS.  HALDANE  IS  SURPRISED        253 

to  make  any  difference.  Perhaps  we  can  stave 
this  off  or — " 

"  At  any  rate  I  must  see  Gormly,  and  you  must 
help  me.  For  God's  sake,  don't  stand  there  ar- 
guing with  me,  but  arrange  in  some  way  to  bring 
Gormly  and  me  together  secretly  and  without 
delay!" 

"  Let  me  think  a  minute,"  said  the  younger 
man  at  last,  impressed  by  his  father's  terrible  in- 
sistence. "  I  have  it.  The  car  is  at  the  door 
fortunately.  I'll  run  down  and  tell  Gormly  you 
want  to  see  him  about  this  cursed  business.  I 
don't  know  whether  I  can  persuade  him  to  meet 
you  or  not;  but  I'll  do  my  best.  Then  you  go 
over  to  Louise  Stewart's  at  once.  She's  true  blue 
and  won't  betray  you.  Her  mother  is  away,  and 
she'll  be  alone  except  for  the  servants.  You  have 
nothing  to  fear  from  them.  I  will  get  Gormly 
there  by  some  means,  and  then  you  can  see  him. 
I'll  telephone  you  there." 

"  Hurry  then,  and  don't  tell  your  sister  or  your 
mother  anything  of  this,"  said  Haldane  as  he  rose 
to  end  the  interview. 

"  No  fear  of  that.  I  am  not  likely  to  proclaim 
it,"  answered  his  son  shamefacedly. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  DESPERATE  POSITION  OF  HALDANE 

A  T  this  crucial  moment  there  was  a  knock  on 
'£'  ^  the  door.  Bidden  to  enter,  Eleanor  came  in, 
followed  by  her  mother. 

"  Father,"  she  said,  proffering  him  an  open  let- 
ter, "  the  emergency  which  we  discussed  has  come 
upon  us  sooner  than  we  anticipated." 

The  girl  was  very  nervous  and  excited,  her 
hands  trembled  as  she  held  out  the  paper. 

"  What!  What  do  you  mean?  "  gasped  Hal- 
dane,  his  own  agitation  not  less  evident. 

Could  it  be  possible  that  his  daughter  had  al- 
ready heard  of  this  revelation? 

"  Here  is  the  letter  from  Mr.  Gormly,  which 
Livingstone  just  brought  me,  in  which  he  formally 
asks  me  to  be  his  wife." 

"  By  Jove !  "  exclaimed  young  Haldane,  "  that's 
fine  of  him !  " 

"  How  can  you  say  that  when  — "  protested  his 
mother  vehemently. 

"  Give  the  letter  to  me,"  interrupted  Haldane, 
waving  her  peremptorily  aside.  "  I  shall  see  Mr. 
Gormly  in  half  an  hour." 

"  What  answer  shall  you  give  him,  sis?  "  asked 
her  brother,  intensely  interested. 

254 


DESPERATE  POSITION  OF  HALDANE     255 

"  I  haven't  made  any  yet,"  was  the  reply. 
"  But  I  can  only  repeat  what  I  said  the  other 
night:  that  while  I  respect  and  admire  Mr.  Gormly 
exceedingly,  I  do  not  love  him." 

"  At  least,"  questioned  the  older  Haldane, 
"you  don't  dislike  him,  do  you?" 

"Dislike  him,  father?  Not  at  all.  I  have 
just  said — " 

"  Well,  give  me  the  letter  then,  and  — " 

At  this  moment  the  footman,  bowing  before 
the  open  door,  entered.  "  Beg  pardon,  sir,"  he 
said,  "  but  a  party  by  the  name  of  Liffey  is  wait- 
ing outside  to  see  you." 

"Which  Liffey?"  asked  young  Haldane. 

"  He  says  as  how  his  name  is  Charles,  sir,"  an- 
swered the  footman. 

"Charley  Liffey!"  exclaimed  the  son  of  the 
house.  '  What  is  he  doing  here  now?  " 

"  Why,"  said  Eleanor  in  great  surprise,  "  that 
is  the  Grand  Chief  of  the  Sachem  Society  and  the 
most  notorious  — " 

"  Yes,  yes.  I  know,"  interposed  Haldane 
quickly.  "  You  will  kindly  leave  me  for  a  few 
moments,  all  of  you.  Where  is  Mr.  Liffey?" 

"  I've  got  him  waiting  in  the  hall,  sir." 

"  Tell  him  I  will  see  him  here.  Livingstone, 
do  you  carry  out  my  injunctions  at  once.  Eleanor, 
say  nothing  to  Mr.  Gormly  about  this  proposition 
until  I  have  seen  him.  Now  leave  me." 

"  But,  Beekman  — "  began  Mrs.  Haldane. 

"  Father !  "  protested  his  daughter. 


256  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Eliza,"  said  her  husband,  "  not  another  word! 
Eleanor,  I  am  tried  now  beyond  endurance. 
Please  go !  " 

When  Liffey  entered  the  library,  now  empty 
of  all  its  former  occupants  save  the  elder  Haldane, 
he  confronted  a  very  agitated  and  very  angry  man. 

"  Do  you  know  what's  up  now,  Liffey?  "  was 
the  question  that  was  hurled  at  him. 

"  Do  I  know  what's  up?  Well  about  the  best 
news  that  we  could  hear  is  up." 

"  You  regard  it  that  way,  do  you  ?  Well,  I 
don't." 

;'  What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  Why,  Gormly  has  discovered  my  connection 
with  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  and 
the  close  alliance  that  exists  between  the  Sachem 
Society  and  the  corporation,  and  all  the  rest  of  it." 

"  The  devil  you  say !  "  cried  Liffey. 

"  It's  so,  and  he  has  it  all  ready  to  publish  to- 
morrow morning." 

"  Well,  that's  bad,"  returned  the  boss;  "  but  it 
might  be  worse.  The  quieter  these  things  are 
managed,  the  better;  but  still  it  ain't  so  bad  as  it 
might  be.  You  see  it  was  bound  to  come  out 
sooner  or  later,  and  — " 

"  My  dear  man,  you  don't  understand  the  im- 
portance of  this  matter.  For  the  Gotham  Freight 
Traction  Company  to  be  found  to  be  in  close  al- 
liance with  the  Sachem  Society  and  with  the  ad- 
ministration will  lose  us  the  election,  and  then  the 


DESPERATE  POSITION  OF  HALDANE     257 

New  York  Traction  Company  franchise  goes, 
and—" 

"  Well,  just  wait  a  bit,  Mr.  Haldane.  Things 
ain't  so  black  as  they  seem.  I've  got  a  little  piece 
of  news  that'll  discount  yours  all  hollow." 

"And  what  is  that,  pray?  It  was  a  fearfully 
risky  thing,  by  the  way,  for  you  to  come  here  to 
my  house  in  broad  daylight." 

"  Oh,  we  can  afford  to  risk  things  now." 

"  You  take  it  mighty  coolly.  What  have  you 
learned?" 

"  It's  this,"  said  Liffey,  coming  closer  and  sink- 
ing his  voice  to  a  whisper  lest  he  should  be  over- 
heard by  any  one. 

A  look  of  relief  spread  over  Haldane's  face  as 
he  listened  to  Liffey's  communication.  "  Are  you 
sure  of  it?  " 

"  All  but  sure  of  it.  We'll  know  definitely  in 
two  days.  Men  are  verifyin'  the  tale,  and  Con- 
nell  and  I  are  expectin'  a  telegram  any  time. 
There's  no  doubt  about  it,  though.  It's  a  sure 
thing.  All  you've  got  to  do  now  is  to  keep  this 
revelation  you're  tellin'  me  about  out  of  the  pa- 
pers for  two  days,  and  then  they  can  talk  their 
mouths  off.  It  won't  affect  us  a  bit.  Can  you 
doit?" 

"It  is  barely  possible  that  I  may  be  able  to 
keep  the  thing  quiet  for  that  length  of  time. 
Especially  in  view  of  what  you  have  just  told  me." 

"  That's  up  to  you.     As  for  myself,  my  reputa- 


253  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

tion  has  always  been  pretty  good  in  this  com- 
munity, and  I  guess  I  could  stand  the  knowledge 
of  my  intimate  relations  with  your  company  be- 
in'  spread  abroad." 

"  But  I  can't,  I  tell  you." 

"  Look  here,  Mr.  Haldane,"  said  Liffey,  his 
fat,  smooth,  babyish  pink  face  flushing  with  anger, 
"  you're  not  reflectin'  on  us  men  of  the  Sachem 
Society,  are  you  ?  " 

"  No,  no,  certainly  not,"  answered  Haldane 
quickly;  "  But  I  am  viewing  the  effect  of  the  dis- 
closure on  the  campaign.  You  see,  we  got  it 
hard  enough  when  Gormly  made  that  fool  War- 
ren promise  to  let  the  election  determine  the  grant- 
ing of  the  New  York  Traction  Company  fran- 
chise." 

"  I  don't  think  much  of  Warren  as  a  rule,  Mr. 
Haldane,"  said  Liffey;  "but  he  done  the  right 
thing  there.  It  was  a  fine  stroke  of  politics.  All 
we've  got  to  do  now  is  to  win  the  election." 

"  Yes,  I  know ;  but  can  we  do  it  ?  " 

"  With  what  I've  just  told  you,  we  can ;  pro- 
vided you  can  hold  off  this  disclosure  for  two 
days  longer." 

"  I'll  do  it,"  answered  Haldane  resolutely,  "if 
it  kills  me.  I  have  an  appointment,  or  at  least 
I  expect  to  have  one,  to  see  Gormly  inside  of  an 
hour,  and  I  must  go  now.  You  will  excuse  me  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  I  only  came  up  here  to  tell  you 
that—" 

"  But  wasn't  it  frightfully  dangerous  ?  " 


DESPERATE  POSITION  OF  HALDANE     259 

"  Lord,  no !  We've  got  every  detective  in  the 
city  campin'  on  Gormly's  trail.  There  ain't  none 
left  but  amachoors,  and  I  don't  care  a  damn  for 
their  efforts." 

"  Very  well.  But  it  won't  do  for  us  to  be 
seen  leaving  together." 

"  No.  I've  got  a  hansom  out  here,  and  I'll  go 
first." 

"  Very  good." 

"  Will  you  let  me  know  as  soon  as  you  can 
what's  goin'  to  happen  about  this  disclosure?  " 

"  Certainly.     I  will  telephone  you  to-night." 

"  Be  sure  and  use  the  private  signal." 

"  Of  course.  And  if  necessary  I  will  see  you 
at  the  usual  place." 

Haldane  named  an  unsuspicious  office  easily  ac- 
cessible from  Sachem  Hall,  in  which  in  emergen- 
cies the  leaders  sometimes  met. 

"  All  right.  Keep  a  stiff  upper  lip,  Mr.  Hal- 
dane. We're  goin'  to  win  the  biggest  victory 
against  the  biggest  enemy  that  New  York  has  ever 
seen,  you  mark  me.  Goodby." 

In  half  an  hour  Haldane,  in  answer  to  a  tele- 
phone message  from  his  son,  was  bowling  along 
upper  Fifth  Avenue  in  his  own  electric  toward 
the  Stewart  home.  Miss  Stewart  herself  ad- 
mitted him.  She  had  been  warned  of  his  arrival 
and  had  been  watching  for  him. 

"  Yes,"  she  said  in  answer  to  his  eager  ques- 
tion, "  Mr.  Gormly  is  here.  Livingstone  brought 
him.  I  was  just  coming  into  the  house,  so  I  let 


260  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

them  in  myself.  No  one  knows  that  he  is  here 
or  that  you  have  come.  How  delightfully  mys- 
terious it  is!  Is  it  a  conspiracy?  What  does  it 
mean?  " 

"  Is  Livingstone  here  also?  " 

"  Yes.  He  is  in  the  small  drawing  room  with 
Mr.  Gormly." 

"  I  want  you  to  amuse  him  while  I  talk  with 
Mr.  Gormly.  Don't  let  anyone  disturb  us." 

"  Not  for  the  world,"  said  the  girl,  throwing 
open  the  door  of  the  little  reception  room  as  she 
spoke.  "  Here  is  Mr.  Haldane,  Mr.  Gormly. 
Livingstone,  you  are  to  come  with  me." 

"  I  intend  to  be  present,"  answered  Living- 
stone Haldane  firmly,  "  at  this  interview." 

"  You  will  pardon  me,"  said  his  father  with 
equal  resolution,  "  but  I  intend  to  see  Mr.  Gormly 
alone." 

"  Go,  Haldane,"  said  Gormly.  "  If  there  is 
anything  that  you  ought  to  know,  I  will  tell  you 
what  it  is  later." 

"But  I  would—" 

"  Livingstone,"  said  Miss  Stewart,  "  this  is  very 
ungallant  and  unkind  toward  me." 

"  Your  father  and  I  both  wish  to  be  alone," 
said  Gormly  sternly,  whereat  the  young  man,  with 
very  bad  grace  be  it  admitted,  retired  and  shut 
the  door. 

Gormly  waited  for  the  older  man  to  begin. 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Haldane  at  last,  "  my  son 
has  told  me  that  you  have  discovered  my  connec- 


DESPERATE  POSITION  OF  HALDANE     261 

tion  with  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Com- 
pany." 

"  I  told  him  so  this  afternoon." 

"Why  did  you  tell  him?" 

11  To  give  him  an  opportunity  to  withdraw  from 
his  association  with  me  before  I  published  the 
story  of  the  corrupt  corporation,  and  because  I 
have  a  sort  of  chivalrous,  old  fashioned  feeling 
that  compels  me  to  warn  you  of  what  I  am  going 
to  do  before  I  do  it." 

"  I  need  not  ask  you  how  you  found  it  out  or 
who  betrayed  us." 

"  Nobody  betrayed  you,  sir.  I  have  had  some 
of  the  ablest  men  in  the  United  States  investigat- 
ing the  affairs  of  the  corporation  so  far  as  it  could 
be  done,  and  it  was  inevitable  that  they  should 
discover  your  connection  with  it  and  much  of  the 
history  of  its  dealings.  I  wonder  you  ever  ex- 
pected to  keep  it  a  secret." 

"  I  never  did.  I  never  made  any  secret  of  it, 
or  would  not  have  made  any  if  this  New  York 
Traction  Company  franchise  had  been  granted; 
but  now  — " 

"  Now,  sir,  it  is  too  late  to  discuss  what  you 
would  have  done." 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Haldane,  "  you  this  day 
addressed  my  daughter  and  asked  her  to  be  your 
wife?" 

"  I  did,  sir." 

"Why  to-day?" 

"  Because  I  intended  all  along  to  do  so,  and  I 


262  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

preferred  to  do  it  now  rather  than  after  the  pub- 
lication of  the  news  that  will  be  made  to-morrow. 
I  shall  repeat  my  offer  to-morrow." 

"  And  you  wish  to  marry  her?  " 

"  It  is  —  it  was  —  the  dearest  wish  of  my 
heart." 

"Was,  sir?" 

'  Yes,  and  so  far  as  I  am  individually  con- 
cerned it  still  remains  so;  but  there  are  things 
higher  than  our  own  personal  wishes,  Mr.  Hal- 
dane,  as  I  have  been  finding  out,  and  to  be  Mayor 
of  New  York  for  the^purpose  of  serving  the  peo- 
ple is  now  my  chief  ambition." 

"  But  you  love  my  daughter,  I  understood  her 
to  say." 

"  She  could  not  possibly  say  how  much  I  care 
for  her,  or  how  proud  I  should  be  to  make  her 
my  wife." 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  Haldane,  lowering  his 
voice  and  looking  about  him,  "  it  is  not  beyond 
possibility  that  your  desires  in  that  direction  might 
be  gratified." 

"  Do  you  carry  a  message  to  me  from  Miss 
Haldane?" 

"  No,  not  exactly.  She,  however,  placed  the 
matter  in  my  hands.  I  have  your  letter  here." 
He  drew  it  forth.  "  And,  in  short,  it  is  possible 
that  she  might  be  induced  to  favor  your  suit.  Of 
course,"  he  added  very  slowly  in  a  mere  whisper 
during  which  he  kept  his  eyes  carefully  averted 


DESPERATE  POSITION  OF  HALDANE    263 

from  the  other  man's  face.  "  You  will  under- 
stand that  if  you  were  a  party  to  this  —  er  — 
revelation  to  which  you  have  alluded,  that  would 
render  any  alliance  impossible." 

"  You  say,"  asked  Gormly  slowly,  "  that  Miss 
Haldane  is  not  privy  to  your  decision,  that  you  do 
not  make  this  proposition  by  her  authority?" 

"  Certainly  not.  She  knows  nothing  about  it; 
but  I  am  sure  that  with  my  wish  and  your  own 
determined  and  —  er  —  most  agreeable  person- 
ality, the  matter  can  be  brought  about,"  he  paused, 
significantly, — "  on  conditions,"  he  added. 

"  What  conditions  ?  " 

"  I  leave  that  to  your  own  perspicacity." 

"By  the  living  God!"  burst  out  Gormly, 
furiously  throwing  off  all  restraint  in  his  indigna- 
tion and  resentment,  "  if  I  treated  you  rightly,  I 
would  kick  you  out  of  the  house.  I  would  expose 
you  not  merely  for  your  connection  with  that 
thieving  octopus  but  as  a  father  who  tried  to  bar- 
ter his  daughter  to  secure  his  own  immunity." 

"Sir,  sir!"  exclaimed  Haldane  furiously,  but 
Gormly  was  not  to  be  interrupted  now. 

"  I  love  your  daughter  in  ways  that  I  doubt  you 
are  able  to  understand;  but  I  would  not  take  her  on 
such  conditions  as  those  you  mean  me  to  infer,  I 
would  not  degrade  her  by  thinking  of  her  on  such 
terms,  even  if  I  lost  her  forever.  I  am  unworthy 
of  her  enough  now,  God  knows!  but  I  would  be 
so  far  beneath  her  under  such  circumstances  that 


264  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

I  could  not  even  look  at  her  again.  I  don't 
understand  how  she  could  have  been  born  of  such 
a  father." 

"  I  will  not  be  talked  to  in  that  manner  by  you, 
sir,"  cried  Haldane,  who  did  not  lack  courage. 
"  I  here  and  now  definitely  decline  your  proposal 
for  my  daughter's  hand." 

"  I  will  take  that  declination  from  her,  and  from 
no  one  else !  "  said  Gormly. 

"  She  will  repeat  it,  I  am  sure,  if  she  hears  with 
what  insolence  you  have  treated  me." 

"  And  I  pray  to  God  for  the  sake  of  her  love 
toward  you  and  her  respect  toward  you  that  she 
may  never  hear  one  word  of  what  you  have  said. 
I  have  had  enough  of  this  interview,  Mr.  Hal- 
dane." 

He  turned  to  the  door. 

"Wait!"  said  Haldane. 

"  To  hear  another  infamous  proposition  from 
you?" 

"  No,  sir.  But  I  have  something  more  to  say, 
and  it  is  this.  You  are  not  so  invulnerable  your- 
self, sir,  but  that  you  might  be  glad  for  a  little 
judicious  silence." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Never  mind  what  I  mean.  You  publish  what 
you  have  there  at  your  peril !  I  warn  you  that  in 
two  days  thereafter,  your  name  will  ring  as  a 
scoundrel  and  a  blackguard  throughout  the 
United  States." 

"  Having  tried  bribery  and  failed,  you  now  re* 


DESPERATE  POSITION  OF  HALDANE    265 

sort  to  threats,"  said  Gormly.  "  But  that  you 
are  her  father  — " 

He  clenched  his  fist,  stood  staring  a  minute,  then 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  shook  his  head  and  turned 
away. 

"You  won't  be  warned  then?"  said  Haldane. 

"  Not  by  you." 

"And  you  intend  to  publish  my  connection?" 

"  Everywhere." 

"  I  shall  tell  Eleanor  that  you  have  done  it." 

"  I  shall  tell  her  myself,"  returned  Gormly, 
tearing  open  the  door.  "  Haldane,"  he  called,  as 
he  stepped  into  the  hall.  When  the  young  man 
presented  himself,  he  thus  addressed  him,  "  Your 
father  and  I  have  had  a  rather  painful  interview, 
into  the  details  of  which  it  is  not  necessary  to 
enter.  I  have  only  to  say  that  the  story  I  told 
you  goes  to  the  newspapers  to-night.  And  now," 
he  held  out  his  hand,  "  good-by.  I  wish  that  we 
might  have  fought  together  until  the  end." 

"  But  we  are  going  to  fight  together  until  the 
end,"  cried  the  young  man  fiercely.  "  I  love  my 
father,  and  until  now  I  have  always  respected  him. 
I  have  been  content  to  follow  his  lead;  but  I  can 
do  so  no  longer.  My  money  is  my  own.  It 
came  from  my  grandfather.  I  am  beholden  to 
my  father  for  nothing.  Right  is  right,  and  a 
man's  got  to  do  what  is  right  if  all  the  fathers 
on  earth  stand  between." 

"vYou  will  both  of  you  live  to  regret  it,"  cried 
old  Haldane  after  a  bitter  look  at  the  pair.  With 


266  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

his  head  high  he  marched  out  through  the  door. 
"  Do  your  worst!  "  he  said  ere  he  closed  it  be- 
hind him.  "  You  will  see  what  will  happen  to 
you  in  a  day  or  two !  " 

He  certainly  bore  himself  well  in  defeat  and 
impending  disaster,  thought  Gormly,  with  a  flicker 
of  admiration  for  the  older  man's  courage. 

"What  does  it  mean?"  asked  Miss  Stewart. 

"  It  means,"  said  Livingstone,  "  that  my  father 
is  tangled  up  with  a  gang  of  scoundrels ;  that  he  is 
the  brain  and  backbone  of  the  Gotham  Freight 
Traction  Company  that  we  are  fighting;  and  that 
he  is  in  close  alliance  with  the  Sachem  Society.  It 
means  that  we  —  my  family  and  I  —  are  dis- 
honored. It  means  that  I  no  longer  have  the 
right  to  ask  you  what  I  had  intended  to  ask  you 
when  the  campaign  was  over  and  we  had  won,  to 
be  my  wife." 

"Are  you  asking  me  now?"  cried  Miss  Stew- 
art ecstatically. 

"  I  would  be  if  it  was  proper." 

"  It  is  proper,"  she  said,  blushing  divinely. 

"  You  don't  mean  — " 

"  You  goose !  "  said  the  girl,  "  I  don't  love 
your  father  or  your  family." 

Here  Gormly  turned  and  went  into  the  draw- 
ing room  again.  When  he  came  back,  which 
he  did  not  do  until  summoned  by  Miss  Stewart 
herself,  he  confronted  the  blushing  pair. 

"  You  could  not  have  chosen  a  truer,  better 
man  than  Mr.  Haldane,"  he  said.  "  And  as  for 


DESPERATE  POSITION  OF  HALDANE     267 

you,  Haldane,  you  are  the  luckiest  man  on  earth." 

He  sighed  with  envy  and  regret  as  he  spoke. 

"  I  want  to  do  something  for  you  now,"  said 
young  Haldane. 

"  Well,  there  is  one  thing  you  can  do  for  me." 

"What  is  that?" 

"  I  want  to  see  your  sister,  and  immediately." 

"  I  will  have  her  here  in  ten  minutes,"  answered 
the  young  man,  tearing  himself  away  from  Miss 
Stewart  without  another  word. 

"  And  will  you  leave  me  alone  in  the  drawing 
room  until  that  time  comes,  my  dear  young  lady?  " 
asked  Gormly,  also  turning  away. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

GORMLY  RESISTS    HIS  GREATEST   TEMPTATION 

A^ORMLY  had  faced  many  difficult  situa- 
^*-*  tions  in  his  life.  Even  his  successful  busi- 
ness career  had  confronted  him  with  crises  of  mo- 
ment. But  he  had  never  contemplated  anything 
which  imposed  so  hard  a  task  upon  his  judgment 
and  his  feelings  as  the  approaching  interview. 
What  means  young  Haldane  would  take  to  in- 
duce his  sister  to  come  with  him,  how  much  of 
what  had  transpired  he  would  tell  her,  Gormly 
had  no  means  of  knowing  of  course;  but  he  felt 
confident  that  by  hook  or  crook  the  young  woman 
would  be  produced,  and  that  a  few  minutes  would 
find  him  face  to  face  with  her. 

He  did  not  in  the  least  know  how  to  begin  or 
what  to  say,  and  the  more  he  thought  of  it  the 
more  difficult  became  the  situation.  He  felt  like 
a  man  who  has  found  a  pearl  of  great  price  which 
he  would  fain  claim  for  himself,  only  to  be 
confronted  with  an  imperious  demand  from  a 
power  that  he  could  not  control  that  he  must 
throw  it  aside;  nay  more,  that  he  must  cast  it 
down  and  trample  it  under  foot.  He  knew  that 
he  had  to  choose  between  his  love  and  his  duty, 
between  the  dearest  wish  of  his  heart  and  the 

268 


GORMLY  RESISTS  TEMPTATION     269 

right  course;  that  there  would  be  made  upon  him 
a  demand  for  sacrifice  almost  greater  than  mortal 
could  bear;  that  the  consequences  would  not  be 
merely  personal  to  himself, —  he  could  have  faced 
those  with  more  philosophy, —  but  that  they  would 
be  terribly  crushing  to  the  being  above  all  others 
dear  to  him. 

It  was  well  that  the  time  for  reflection  was 
short.  It  is  better  for  a  man  who  has  to  do 
great  things  to  do  them  before  the  mental  and 
spiritual  enemy  has  time  to  instil  doubts  into  the 
mind.  And  it  was  with  a  feeling  of  relief  in  his 
growing  apprehension  and  misery,  therefore,  that 
he  heard  the  front  door  open.  He  heard  voices 
that  he  knew  in  the  hall,  and  in  another  moment 
the  library  door  was  opened  and  Miss  Haldane 
entered  the  room  alone.  He  had  risen  on  her 
approach  and  stood  confronting  her.  She  was 
evidently  greatly  surprised. 

"  I  did  not  know  you  were  here,"  she  began. 
"  Livingstone  did  not  tell  me.  I  did  not  expect  — " 

"  It  was  to  see  me,  or  rather  that  I  might  see 
you,  that  you  were  brought  here,  and  I  alone  am 
responsible." 

"  It  is  a  most  extraordinary  proceeding,"  said 
the  girl  nervously.  "  I  can't  imagine  why  I  was 
brought  to  you." 

"  It  was  necessary  for  me  to  see  you,"  returned 
the  man. 

"  Then  why  didn't  you  come  to  my  house?  " 

"  I  could  not." 


270  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"Why  not?" 

"  There  are  reasons  which  will  probably  render 
me  forever  an  unwelcome  visitor  to  your  house." 

"  I  know,  political  reasons ;  but  they  have  no 
effect  upon  me." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  they  will  have  an  effect  upon 
you,  Miss  Haldane,  and  because  of  that  fear  I 
have  ventured  upon  this  unusual  course,  for  which 
I  tender  you  my  sincerest  apologies." 

"  I  believe,"  said  the  girl  slowly,  "  that  some- 
thing very  serious  must  have  happened,  or  you 
would  not  have  had  me  brought  here." 

"  Something  serious  has  happened,  or  is  about 
to  happen." 

"  And  that  being  the  case,  these  others  mat- 
ters are  of  trivial  importance.  Will  you  tell  me 
what  you  want?  " 

'  You  might  reasonably  suppose  that  I  might 
want  an  answer  to  my  letter." 

Eleanor  started  to  speak;  but  he  checked  her. 

"  I  can't  imagine,  of  course,  that  your  feelings 
toward  me  have  changed  in  the  least  degree  in 
the  short  time  that  has  elapsed  since  I  told  you 
that  I  loved  you." 

"  I  don't  know  what  my  feelings  are,"  said  the 
girl  frankly ;  "  but  I  don't  think  they  have  greatly 
changed." 

"Of  course  not.     How  could  they?" 

"  And  with  that  knowledge,  why  did  you  make 
me  a  formal  offer  of  yourself,  why  did  you  ask 
me  to  be  your  wife?  " 


GORMLY  RESISTS  TEMPTATION     271 

"  I  was  in  honor  bound  to  do  so." 

"  In  honor?  " 

"  You  know,  of  course,  that  it  is  the  dearest 
wish  of  my  heart,  and  that  were  circumstances 
other  than  they  are,  I  should  have  waited  a  more 
fitting  season  to  have  begged  you  to  marry  me; 
but  something  is  about  to  happen  which  would 
perhaps  render  it  impossible  for  me  to  approach 
you.  If  that  was  the  case,  I  wanted  you  to  feel 
that  I  was  wholly  and  entirely  devoted  to  you 
personally;  that  nothing  could  make  any  differ- 
ence; that  I  had  placed  my  fate,  my  life,  my  fu- 
ture, in  your  hands." 

"  Why  should  anything  make  any  difference  ?  " 
asked  the  girl.  "  Why  should  you  make  this 
profession  to  me  now  rather  than  at  some  other 
time?  What  is  going  to  happen?" 

"  I  can  scarcely  bear  to  tell  you." 

"  But  you  have  called  me  here  for  that  very 
purpose,  have  you  not?  " 

"  I  have." 

"  And  you  think  it  your  duty  to  tell  me?  " 

"  I  am  sure  of  it." 

"  Then  it  is  not  like  you  to  hesitate  over  your 
duty,"  was  the  quick  answer. 

"  Ah,  but  when  duty  involves  us  in  differences 
with  those  we  love,  when  the  hand  that  would  fain 
support  must  strike  the  blow,  it  isn't  so  easy." 

"  You  alarm  me  beyond  measure !  "  cried  the 
girl,  pressing  her  hands  to  her  breast  as  if  to  still 
its  wild  throbbing.  "  You  must  not  keep  me  in 


272  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

suspense  any  longer!  What  is  it  that  you  have 
to  tell  me?  What  is  it  that  is  likely  to  come  be- 
tween us?  " 

"  Before  I  tell  you  anything,  will  you  give  me 
an  answer  to  my  question?  " 

"  You  are  entitled  to  it,  and  you  shall  have  it. 
As  I  said,  I  like  you,  I  respect  you,  I  believe  I  care 
more  for  you  than  any  man  I  know;  but  I  don't 
love  you  —  yet.  I  don't  feel  it  here.  I  can't  prom- 
ise to  be  your  wife.  It  wouldn't  be  fair  to  you. 
You  are  entitled  to  more  than  I  can  give.  Some 
day  perhaps,  I  don't  know;  but  now  I  must  de- 
cline. I  admire  you,  as  I  have  said,  more  than 
any  man  I  ever  saw.  I  think  you  are  the  finest 
man  in  the  United  States  to-day,  the  noblest,  the 
best,  the  truest;  but — " 

"  I  am  none  of  these  things,"  said  the  man 
quickly.  "If  you  had  said  yes,  I  should  have 
been  compelled  to  show  you  that  I  was  not.  But 
that  is  neither  here  nor  there.  You  have  given 
me  my  answer,  and  I  take  it  like  a  man." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  said  the  girl.  "  And  now 
what  have  you  to  say  to  me?  " 

"  This,"  responded  Gormly,  handing  her  a  few 
typewritten  sheets  of  paper. 

"Am  I  to  read  this?"  she  asked,  taking  it 
from  him  and  looking  very  straight  at  him. 

He  was  very  pale  now  and  she  was  scarcely 
less  white. 

"  Wait!  "  said  the  man,  as  she  lifted  the  paper 


GORMLY  RESISTS  TEMPTATION*  273 

and  bent  her  head.     "  Perhaps  it  would  be  more 
merciful  to  tell  you." 

'  Just  as  you  think  best.  I  am  a  strong 
woman.  I  can  bear  anything.  Is  it  about," 
there  was  a  long  pause, — "  my  father?  " 

He  nodded  his  head. 

"What  has  he  done?" 

Gormly  hesitated,  trembled,  would  have  been 
lost. 

"  Give  me  back  the  paper!  "  he  cried  hoarsely. 

"  No,"  said  the  woman,  thrusting  it  behind  her. 
"  I  must  know  what  you  have  to  tell  me." 

She  stood  very  straight.  She  faced  him  very 
boldly. 

"  Miss  Haldane,"  he  began,  "  I  say  to  you 
quite  simply  that  I  would  rather  be  dead  than 
stand  here  as  I  do  now  with  the  burden  of  telling 
you  that  your  father  is  the  head  and  front,  the 
backbone,  the  brains,  the  genius,  the  everything, 
of  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  and 
the  Sachem  Society." 

"My  God!"  exclaimed  Miss  Haldane,  the 
paper  dropping  from  her  fingers  to  the  floor. 

She  was  paler  than  ever.  She  stared  at  him 
almost  in  dumb  incomprehension.  Her  body 
swayed  slightly.  Gormly  stepped  closer  to  her, 
seized  her  gently,  supported  her  to  a  chair  by  the 
library  table.  She  put  her  face  in  her  hands  and 
rocked  to  and  fro  silently. 

"  It  can't  be  true,"  she  said  at  last.  "  You  are 
mistaken.  Surely  not  my  father  in  that  sink  of 


274          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

corruption  and  bribery  and  iniquity  and  shame! 
Say  it  isn't  true !  " 

"  I  wish  to  heaven  I  could  say  it ;  but  — "  The 
man  shook  his  head.  "  I  told  you  that  I  would 
rather  have  been  dead  than  have  brought  this  upon 
you." 

*  You  are  not  to  blame,"  answered  the  woman, 
her  sense  of  justice  uppermost.  "  It  is  the  fact 
itself  that  kills,  if  it  be  a  fact.  There  must  be 
some  mistake." 

"  I  wish  there  was." 

"  Are  you  sure  absolutely?  " 

"  Your  father  confessed  it  here  in  this  room  a 
half-hour  ago." 

"  Why  do  you  tell  me  of  it?  " 

"  Because,"  was  the  answer,  "  the  whole  world 
has  to  know  it,  and  I  preferred  to  tell  you  myself 
rather  than  let  you  get  it  from  the  newspapers." 

"  You  are  going  to  publish  it?  " 

"  To-morrow  morning." 

"But  why  — why?" 

She  threw  up  her  arms  in  nervous  appeal. 

"  Think,"  said  the  man,  "  it  is  the  one  fact  that 
makes  my  election  certain." 

"  And  does  your  ambition  run  to  the  wrecking 
of  my  father's  good  name  in  order  that  you  may 
be  elected?" 

"  No.  If  you  will  think,  you  will  know  that 
it  does  not.  I  am  doing  it  for  the  sake  of  honor, 
for  the  sake  of  duty,  for  the  sake  of  humanity," 


GORMLY  RESISTS  TEMPTATION      275 

he  paused  and  raised  his  own  hand.  "  So  help 
me  God!  "  he  cried  with  upturned  face. 

"  But  is  it  necessary?  " 

"  Absolutely." 

"Why?" 

"  The  cause  of  popular  government  is  being 
fought  out  right  here.  The  contest  transcends  in 
importance  any  political  battle  that  has  ever  been 
waged.  If  the  government  of  and  for  and  by 
the  people  is  to  be  a  success,  we  have  to  demon- 
strate it  now  or  else  go  down,  it  may  be  forever. 
The  people  have  a  right  to  know  what  is  back 
of  the  Sachem  Society,  where  it  gets  its  enormous 
corruption  fund.  I  should  be  a  traitor,  false  to 
my  duty,  a  betrayer,  if  I  did  not  make  public  this 
knowledge  that  has  come  to  me." 

"  I  see." 

"  And  you  believe,  don't  you,  won't  you,  that 
it  is  the  hardest  thing  that  has  ever  been  laid  upon 
me  to  bring  shame  upon  you  through  your  father, 
to  plunge  you  in  disgrace?  I  would  cut  my  arms 
off  for  you,  if  I  could  save  you  thereby.  But  in 
this  case,  I  am  absolutely  helpless." 

The  girl  nodded  her  head.  "  Will  you  let  me 
see  the  paper?  "  she  asked. 

Gormly  stooped,  picked  it  up,  spread  it  before 
her,  and  turned  away.  The  letters  danced  be- 
fore her  eyes  so  that  she  could  scarcely  read;  but 
by  an  immense  effort  at  concentration  she  finally 
mastered  the  contents  of  the  brief  but  damning 


276  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

document.  It  was  clearly  and  succinctly  ex- 
pressed;  but  it  told  the  story  with  sufficient  am- 
plitude. Citations  and  proofs  accompanied  it 
No  one  could  possibly  doubt  its  accuracy.  There 
were  no  personal  reflections  upon  anyone,  she 
realized,  and  for  that  she  had  a  little  flash  of 
gratitude  in  her  heart.  The  story  itself  was  al- 
lowed to  condemn.  She  read  it  through  several 
times,  Gormly  respecting  her  silence  absolutely. 

'  It  is  all  true,"  she  said  at  last.  "  You  say  my 
father  was  here?" 

"  Yes." 

"He  was  very  much  agitated  at  some  news 
that  my  brother  brought  him  a  short  time  ago. 
Does  Livingstone  know  ?  " 

"  He  does.     I  told  him." 

14  Why?" 

'To  give  him  an  opportunity  to  withdraw 
from  association  with  us  in  view  of  this  attack." 

14  And  what  did  he  decide  ?  " 

"  He  decided  to  stay  with  me." 

"  And  this  is  why  you  made  me  that  offer  of 
marriage  now  rather  than  later?" 

1  Yes.  I  wanted  you  to  feel,  after  you  had 
this  news,  that  while  I  alone  knew  it,  I  paid  you 
the  highest  compliment  that  I  could  think  of; 
that  my  heart  was  irrevocably  pledged  to  you 
whatever  was  to  happen." 

'That  was  kind  of  you.  You  have  always 
been  kind  to  me." 


GORMLY  RESISTS  TEMPTATION     277 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  can  say  so  after  this." 
He  pointed  to  the  paper. 

"  This,"  she  replied,  her  eyes  following  his  out- 
stretched hand,  "  makes  a  great  difference,  doesn't 

it?" 

"  I  don't  know.  I  suppose  it  will.  It  does 
not  make  any  difference  in  me." 

"  But  don't  you  see  it  makes  it  impossible  for 
me  if  you  —  How  could  I  ?  The  enemy  of  my 
father!" 

"  I  don't  suppose  you  could,"  he  answered. 
"  That  is  another  reason  why  I  wrote  when  I  did, 
because  I  was  fearful  that  you  would  hate  me 
when  my  agency  in  the  unearthing  of  this  was 
known;  that  you  would  receive  no  communication 
from  me;  that  our  acquaintance  would  be  broken 
off ;  and  I  wanted  you  to  know  before  it  was  too 
late  all  that  was  in  my  heart." 

"  I  am  surprised,"  said  the  woman,  "  that  you 
could  still  continue  to  love  the  daughter  of  — " 

"  Don't  say  that !  "  quickly  interposed  Gormly. 
"  I  don't  love  you  because  you  are  anybody's 
daughter,  but  because  you  are  yourself.  I  can't 
trust  myself  to  speak  about  it  when  I  see  you," 
he  continued,  turning  away,  "  and  I  could  curse 
myself  for  ever  having  become  involved  in  such  a 
situation.  I  wish  there  was  some  way  out  of  it. 
Sometimes  I  am  minded  to  — " 

"There  is  no  way  out  of  it,"  said  the  girl 
quickly. 


278  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  No,  I  suppose  not."  He  turned  away  from 
her  and  began  to  pace  the  room  with  long  steady 
steps.  "  A  woman,"  he  ground  out  bitterly, 
"  ruined  my  young  life,  and  now  I  have  to  ruin 
the  young  life  of  another  woman,  the  good  pay- 
ing for  the  bad !  " 

The  woman  scarcely  heard  him.  She  was 
thinking  deeply. 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  she  said  at  last,  "  come  here. 
Sit  down  there  on  the  other  side  of  the  table.  I 
want  to  see  you." 

Amazed,  the  man  complied  with  her  request. 

"  Now  tell  me  the  whole  solemn  truth.  You 
say  my  father  was  here  with  you  before  I  came?  " 

11  Yes." 

"  Does  he  know  that  you  know?  " 

"  It  was  to  see  me  about  that  that  he  came." 

"  Did  he  make  some  effort  to  induce  you  not  to 
publish  these  facts?  " 

"  Naturally." 

"What  was  the  effort?" 

"  He  argued  with  me." 

"Is  that  all?" 

"  He  threatened  retaliation." 

"Is  that  all?" 

"  I  think  he  even  pleaded." 

"And  is  that  all?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Gormly,  telling  her  his  first  lie, 
telling  it  bravely,  audaciously,  even  looking  her 
straight  in  the  eye  without  blenching. 


GORMLY  RESISTS  TEMPTATION .   279 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  returned  the  woman,  "  what- 
ever he  is,  my  father  is  not  a  fool." 

"  His  worst  enemy  would  not  so  describe  him." 

"  He  knew  that  you  were  not  a  man  who  could 
be  moved  by  threats  or  entreaties.  You  have 
demonstrated  that  you  can  be,  in  this  campaign 
at  least,  iron  hard,  inflexible,  immutable.  And 
there  is  no  argument  that  any  mortal  man  could 
use  which  could  induce  you  to  hold  your  hand. 
Isn't  that  true?" 

"I  —  I  am  afraid  so." 

"  What  then  did  he  propose  to  influence  you?  " 

"  Great  Heaven,"  cried  Gormly,  "  I  have  told 
you  all  that  I  will  tell  you;  all  that  you  have  a 
right  to  know!  Suffice  it  to  say  that  he  did  not 
move  me." 

"  Do  you  love  me  very  much,  Mr.  Gormly?  " 

"  Love  you !  You  know  I  do.  Why  do  you 
ask?" 

"  A  half  an  hour  before  my  father  saw  you,  I 
gave  him  your  letter  to  me." 

"  Well." 

"  He  took  that  letter  with  him.  He  said  he 
wanted  to  see  you  about  it.  Mr.  Gormly,  I  ask 
you,  I  implore  you,  I  adjure  you,  did  my  father 
offer  me  to  buy  your  silence?  " 

Gormly  stared  at  her  in  ghastly  horror.  It  was 
bad  enough  to  be  compelled  to  disclose  her 
father's  moral,  political,  and  financial  turpitude; 
but  to  reveal  him  as  one  who  had  endeavored  to 


28o         THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

save  himself  at  the  expense  of  his  daughter  was 
more  than  he  had  bargained  for. 

"  You  don't  answer,"  said  Miss  Haldane. 

"  No." 

"  Stop !  You  are  on  oath  now,  by  your  honor 
as  a  gentleman,  by  your  belief  in  God,  by  your 
faith  in  womankind,  by  your  love  for  me!  I 
want  the  truth.  Indeed,  it  is  almost  unnecessary 
for  you  to  speak.  Your  silence,  everything,  con- 
firms me  in  that  belief.  Did  my  father  say  that 
he  would  induce  me  to  marry  you,  if  you  would 
keep  silent  about  this?  Oh,  don't  take  refuge 
in  silence!  Think  for  me  a  moment.  In  all 
your  great  schemes  for  humanity,  give  one  thought 
to  this  one  woman,"  she  laid  her  hand  on  her 
breast  again,  "  that  you  say  you  love.  You  can't 
leave  me  in  this  terrible  uncertainty.  I  know  my 
father  said  it.  A  man  who  would  do  what  he 
has  done  would  not  hesitate  at  that.  But  I  must 
know,  and  I  must  have  your  answer." 

"  And  I  can't  tell  you." 

"  You  can." 

"  Well,  I  won't  then.  I  have  told  you  enough. 
Anything  else  you  must  get  from  other  people." 

"  And  so  you  refused  me?  "  said  the  girl  stand- 
ing up.  "  Look  at  me !  "  She  stretched  her 
hands  out  and  stood  boldly,  magnificently,  de- 
fiantly before  him.  "You  refused  me!  Many 
men  have  wooed  me;  many  men  have  sought  me 
for  a  wife.  I  did  not  love  you,  I  don't  love 
you ;  but  I  might  have  learned.  You  might  have 


GORMLY  RESISTS  TEMPTATION      281 

had  me.  You  say  I  am  the  dearest  desire  of  your 
heart.  A  little  silence,  a  paper  torn  in  two,  a  mo- 
mentary forgetfulness,  and  I  should  have  been 
yours."  She  picked  the  paper  up  from  the  table 
as  she  spoke  and  held  it  before  her.  "  I  could 
tear  it  up  in  a  moment.  Think  what  you  might 
have  had."  She  stepped  slowly  around  the  table 
and  approached  him.  She  came  nearer  to  him. 
He  stared  at  her  fixedly  without  moving.  She 
was  by  his  side  now.  She  laid  her  hand  upon  his 
shoulder.  u  Me,"  she  said,  "  for  this,  and  you 
refused !  " 

He  nodded.  It  was  the  hardest  task  life  had 
ever  laid  upon  him,  this  discussion! 

"  What  are  you  made  of?  "  she  cried. 

"  I  don't  know,"  gasped  the  man  hoarsely.  "  I 
was  a  fool !  " 

"  Will  you  take  me  now,"  she  interposed 
swiftly,  "  and  suppress  this?  If  I  say  that  I  will 
marry  you  to-morrow,  will  you  keep  this  a  secret 
forever?  " 

"  Great  God!  "  whispered  the  man,  "  how  you 
tempt  me!  " 

"Will  you  do  it?     Answer!" 

"No!"  said  Gormly  faintly  at  last.  "I 
won't!" 

"Why  not?" 

"  For  two  reasons.  I  would  not  be  worth  your 
respect  for  a  moment  if  I  did.  I  could  never 
hope  for  your  love  in  that  case.  And  I  won't 
have  any  woman  that  I  have  to  buy." 


282  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  And  we  have  both  tried  to  bribe  you,  my 
father  and  I,  and  we  have  both  failed." 

"  You  did  not  try  to  bribe  me,  Eleanor.  I  am 
sure  you  did  not  know  what  you  were  doing." 

"  I  did,"  she  said.  "  I  wanted  to  test  you.  I 
wanted  to  try  you.  I  wanted  to  see  if  it  was  true. 
I  wanted  assurance  that  my  father  had  done  this 
thing.  I  wanted  to  measure  your  manhood  by  my 
womanhood.  I  said  I  did  not  love  you,  Mr. 
Gormly ;  but  —  I  don't  know  —  it  seems  to  me  I 
come  nearer  to  it  now  than  —  than  ever  before.  If 
it  were  not  for  this  — "  She  crumpled  the  paper 
up  in  her  hand  and  threw  it  on  the  table.  "  Oh  1  " 
she  said  in  a  sudden  change  of  mood,  "  the  light 
has  gone  out  of  life  for  me !  " 

"  My  dear  child !  "  he  began  tenderly. 

She  shook  her  head  and  sat  down  once  more 
and  once  more  buried  her  face  in  her  hands.  He 
ventured  to  come  near  to  her.  He  laid  his  own 
hand  on  her  head  and  stroked  it  gently,  murmur- 
ing broken  words;  meaningless,  save  to  her  on 
whose  ears  they  fell  indistinctly.  At  last  she 
lifted  her  head  and  looked  at  him.  She  caught 
his  hand  in  both  her  own. 

"  You  are  a  great  man,"  she  said,  "  a  strong 
man,  a  true  man,  and  I  am  only  a  poor,  wretched 
woman.  I  kiss  the  hand  that  smites  me."  Be- 
fore he  could  prevent  it  she  suited  the  action  to 
word.  "  Now,"  she  said,  "  go.  You  have  done 
all  you  can.  I  understand,  I  believe.  Sometimes 
I  think  I  —  But  won't  you  go  now  ?  " 


GORMLY  RESISTS  TEMPTATION     283 

Without  another  word  Gormly  turned  and  left 
her. 

He  found  Miss  Stewart  and  young  Haldane 
still  in  the  hall.  They  stared  at  him  awestruck 
at  the  tragedy  in  his  grim  face. 

"  Go  to  her !  "  he  said  as  he  passed  them. 
"  She  needs  you." 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE    LAST    COUNCIL   OF   WAR 

OUMMONED  by  Liffey  at  Haldane's  urgent 
^  request,  the  governing  members  of  the  ring 
met  that  night  at  their  secret  rendezvous.  There 
were  present  besides  the  two  mentioned,  Van 
Slyke  and  McRonald,  Rutherford,  Connell,  Hab- 
berley,  Benson  representing  the  allies,  and  the 
Mayor.  When  Haldane  arrived,  he  found  the 
others  already  assembled. 

"Well?"  asked  Liffey  as  soon  as  the  other 
entered  the  room. 

"  He's  found  it  out  and  he's  going  to  do  it." 

"  Found  out  what  and  going  to  do  what?  " 
asked  Rutherford. 

"  Gormly  has  got  onto  us,  Mr.  Rutherford," 
was  Liffey's  reply.  The  boss  realized  instantly 
that  Haldane  had  failed  to  postpone  the  dis- 
closure. "  He's  found  out  the  secret  history  of 
the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company.  He's 
found  out  that  you  and  Mr.  Haldane  and  Mr. 
Van  Slyke  and  Mr.  McRonald  and  the  rest  of 
you  belong  to  the  ring  which  has  been  running 
things.  He's  found  out  how  many  public  utilities 
we  own  and  control.  He's  found  out  the  whole 

284 


THE  LAST  COUNCIL  OF  WAR      285 

bloomin'  history;  where  we  git  our  money,  how 
we  spend  it." 

"  And  who  was  the  traitor  that  betrayed  you?  " 
asked  Benson  fiercely. 

"  I'd  like  to  know  that  same,"  answered  Liffey, 
his  fat  jaws  clamping  together,  his  "  pompadour  " 
crest  bristling. 

"  I  don't  imagine  anybody  betrayed  us,"  said 
Rutherford.  "  We've  known  all  along  that  the 
thing  was  bound  to  get  out  sooner  or  later.  If  it 
had  been  later,  it  wouldn't  have  made  much  dif- 
ference; but  now  —  Is  he  going  to  publish  it?  " 

"  He  is,"  answered  Haldane. 

"When?"  demanded  Van  Slyke. 

"  To-morrow.  It  will  be  in  every  paper  in  the 
city  except  our  own." 

"Great  God!"  exclaimed  Connell.  "If  we 
could  only  stave  it  off  for  just  three  more  days. 
Gimme  three  days,  and  — " 

"  I  thought  you  were  goin'  to  hold  it  off  for 
that  long?  "  questioned  Liffey. 

"  I  tried,"  answered  Haldane  brokenly.  "  I 
saw  him  this  afternoon.  I  used  every  influence  at 
my  command  for  delay." 

"  And  couldn't  you  do  anything  with  him?  " 

"  Nothing." 

"  Damn  him !  "  gritted  the  boss  through  his 
teeth. 

"  Did  you  bid  for  him?  "  questioned  the  Chief 
of  Police. 


286  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Haldane  nodded. 

"  Did  you  go  high  enough?  "  asked  Benson. 

"  I  went  so  high,"  said  the  man,  u  that  his  re- 
fusal covered  me  with  worse  shame  than  the  pub- 
lication will  do." 

"  To  hell  with  your  shame !  "  exclaimed  Liffey 
brutally.  "  I  don't  care  for  that.  It's  the 
effect  on  the  fortunes  of  the  party  that  I'm  con- 
siderin'." 

"  Put  it  that  way  if  you  wish." 

"What  did  you  offer  him?  "  asked  the  Police 
Commissioner. 

"  Never  mind  what  I  offered  him,"  returned 
Haldane.  "  It  was  all  that  I  had." 

"  And  it  wasn't  enough?  "  queried  Rutherford, 
who  had  a  clearer  comprehension  of  what  the  offer 
might  have  been  than  the  others. 

"  No." 

"So  it's  coming  out  to-morrow,  is  it?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  what  we  can  do,"  said 
Liffey,  "  but  grin  and  take  it." 

"It  means  ruin,  ruin!  "  answered  Haldane. 

"  Absolute,  utter !  "  echoed  Van  Slyke. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  think  it  is  as  bad  as  that,"  re- 
turned the  boss.  "  It  will  make  it  harder  than 
ever  to  pull  through;  but  we've  got  the  election." 

"  Even  if  we  win  the  election,"  said  Haldane, 
"  my  reputation,  my  character  — " 

"  You  ain't  got  no  character  to  lose,"  said  Liffey, 
with  disgusting  frankness,  "  any  more  than  I 


THE  LAST  COUNCIL  OF  WAR        287 

have.  Might  as  well  be  honest  in  facin'  the 
situation.  Of  course  your  reputation  is  bound  to 
suffer;  but  you're  big  enough  and  rich  enough  to 
live  that  down.  We've  just  got  to  swallow  it, 
that's  all,  and  redouble  our  efforts." 

Haldane  groaned. 

"  I  sympathize  with  you  Haldane,"  said  Ruth- 
erford; "but  what  Liffey  says  comes  pretty  near 
being  the  truth." 

"  Gents,  hear  me !  "  burst  out  Connell.  "  I 
can't  throw  no  light  on  this  situation;  I  don't  see 
no  way  of  keeping  this  rot  out  of  the  papers  un- 
less we  could  burn  up  the  plants  or  close  'em  down 
some  way,  which  I'd  like  to  have  the  job  of  doin'. 
But  we  ain't  beat  yet.  This  high  and  mighty 
flyer  posin'  on  a  pinnacle  of  morality  ain't  so  hell 
fired  virtuous  as  he  seems,  and  in  three  days  from 
now  I  expect  he'll  be  crawling  on  his  knees  to  us 
all.  Oh,  if  I'd  only  found  it  out  a  week  ago, 
we'd  had  him  cold!  " 

"  Found  out  what?" 

"  This  man  that's  posin'  as  an  angel  of  virtue 
before  the  people  of  New  York  and  talkin'  re- 
form and  so  on  is  an  adulterer,  a  thief,  and  a  self- 
confessed  murderer." 

"  What !  "  roared  the  men  present.  "  You're 
dreaming!  You're  mad!  " 

"  I  am,  am  I?  Well,  you  just  wait,"  returned 
the  chief,  "  and  you'll  find  I'm  the  sanest  man  in 
the  whole  bunch.  You  know  the  other  night 
when  you  was  jammin'  through  the  franchise  at 


288  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

the  City  Hall  and  Gormly  made  his  great  play?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  one  of  my  men  —  I  had  a  bunch  of 
plain  clothes  men  scattered  through  the  crowd  — 
with  his  eyes  and  ears  open  heard  a  man  say, 
lookin'  at  Gormly  standin'  up  on  that  automobile 
and  givin'  the  crowd  his  infernal  rot,  *  Well,  if 
that  ain't  a  dead  ringer  for  a  boy  named  George 
Fordyce  that  I  used  to  know  back  in  Kill  Devil 
Camp  in  Wyoming  twenty-five  year  ago,  I'll  eat 
my  hat!  '  My  man  sized  up  the  speaker  at  once. 
He  was  a  big  Western  man  free  of  speech  as  he 
was  with  his  money.  His  name's  Bill  Hamilton, 
and  he's  a  big  Montana  mine  owner.  They  call 
him  Colonel  out  there.  They  struck  up  a  friend- 
ship right  away,  had  a  few  drinks  together,  and 
my  man  got  enough  out  of  him  to  get  on  the  trail 
of  the  story  we  been  lookin'  for  without  Hamil- 
ton in  the  least  suspectin'  what  he  was  after.  I 
sent  a  dozen  of  the  smartest  men  on  the  force  out 
to  Wyoming  to  rustle  up  old  inhabitants  of  Kill 
Devil  Camp,  which  has  long  since  been  blotted 
off  the  map.  It  seems  that  this  Gormly,  or  For- 
dyce, or  whatever  his  name  is,  once  run  away  with 
a  miner's  wife,  first  robbin'  him  of  his  pile  and 
shootin'  the  miner." 

The  little  group  of  men  listened  to  the  chief's 
startling  story  in  a  fever  of  excitement  and  sur- 
prise, which  Connell  greatly  enjoyed. 

"  Now,  we  knew  that  he  never  came  to  New 
York  with  no  woman,"  he  ran  on.  "  We've  got 


THE  LAST  COUNCIL  OF  WAR       289 

his  whole  history  from  the  day  he  landed  here, 
every  minute  of  it.  We  reasoned  that  the  woman 
must  have  deserted  him,  or  he  her.  Naturally 
she'd  make  for  one  of  the  big  cities,  especially  if 
she  had  the  money.  We  believed  that  she  had  it; 
for  he  had  practically  none  when  he  landed.  He 
went  to  work  as  a  clerk  in  a  store  at  five  dollars  a 
week.  A  woman  like  that'd  be  pretty  sure  to 
turn  up  on  the  town  somewhere  sooner  or  later. 
We've  got  a  detailed  history  of  everyone  of  'em 
here  and  elsewhere.  If  she  went  down  to  the 
gutter,  she'd  be  dead.  If  she  went  up  to  the  par- 
lor, she'd  be  alive  still.  It  was  only  necessary  to 
look  among  those  that  are  runnin'  the  thing.  We 
found  one,  who'd  come  from  Wyoming.  I  went 
to  see  her  myself,  and  I've  got  her  confession 
here."  He  hauled  a  paper  out  of  his  pocket. 
"  She  didn't  want  to  tell  nothing  about  it.  She 
don't  come  out  of  it  especially  creditable;  but  we 
had  means  to  make  her.  All  we  got  to  git  now 
is  the  stuff  from  Wyoming,  a  witness  or  two  to 
identify  Gormly  with  Fordyce,  and  that's  the  end 
of  him." 

Connell  snapped  his  finger  in  derision. 

"  Has  the  woman  seen  the  man?  "  asked  Gad- 
ler  as  soon  as  he  could  get  his  breath. 

"  Often." 

"Does  he  still—" 

"  Lord,  he  don't  know  she's  on  the  earth." 

"  Is  she  sure  he  is  the  man?  " 

"  She  says  so." 


2QO 

"  Has  she  never  tried  to  blackmail  him?  " 

"  Never.  She's  glad  enough  to  let  him  alone, 
I  guess." 

"Why  isn't  she  witness  enough  then?"  asked 
the  District  Attorney. 

"  Well,  she's  mixed  up  in  it  in  rather  a  nasty 
way.  She's  afraid  she'll  suffer  if  her  part  of  it  is 
made  public." 

"  I  can  fix  that,"  said  Rutherford  coolly  enough. 
"  A  promise  of  :mmunity,  and  — " 

"  She  won't  do  it,"  returned  the  chief.  "  You 
can  drive  these  woman  just  so  far,  and  there  you 
stop.  Besides,  it  ain't  never  goin'  to  come  into 
court." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  asked  Benson. 

"  I  mean,"  said  Connell  emphatically,  "  that 
Gormly  is  goin'  to  give  up  the  game." 

"  Give  up  the  game !  "  repeated  Haldane. 

"  That's  what  I  said.  It's  goin'  to  be  put  up 
to  him  as  to  whether  he  wants  this  told  or  whether 
he  withdraws  from  the  field." 

"  You  might  back  your  *  put  up  '  to  him  with  a 
warrant  for  murder,  I  believe,"  said  the  District 
Attorney.  "  If  the  evidence  is  what  you  say,  I'll 
have  charges  preferred  against  him." 

"  I  won't  need  any  warrants  in  mine,"  said 
Connell. 

"  Still  it's  just  as  well  to  take  one  along,"  said 
Liffey. 

"  You  can't  be  too  well  armed  for  a  man  like 
Gormly,"  said  Benson  shrewdly. 


THE  LAST  COUNCIL  OF  WAR      291 

"  All  right,"  answered  the  chief.  "  Mr.  Ruth- 
erford and  I  will  fix  that  up.  Now,  gentlemen, 
you  leave  this  to  me.  I  am  accustomed  to  deal 
with  criminals,  and  I'll  fix  Gormly.  I  ought  to 
have  all  the  reports  in  my  hands  the  day  after  to- 


morrow." 


4  Wouldn't  it  be  well  to  spring  it  to-night?  " 

"  Hardly.  Besides  it's  too  late.  Not  even 
Gormly  himself  could  keep  the  stuff  out  of  the 
papers  now.  It  has  been  sent  there  undoubtedly, 
and—" 

"  No,  let  him  talk.  As  I  said,  we'll  just  have 
to  grin  and  bear  it,  and  it'll  make  the  thing  all  the 
harder  for  Gormly.  How  he'll  hate  to  with- 
draw !  But  he'll  have  to  do  it !  "  said  Liffey  tri- 
umphantly. 

"  I  guess  now,  Mr.  Haldane,"  said  Rutherford, 
as  the  assembly  dissolved  and  the  two  found  them- 
selves alone  together,  the  others  being  gone,  "  that 
you  are  rather  glad  than  otherwise  that  your  bribe 
did  not  work." 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  so.  I  don't  know,"  answered 
Haldane  brokenly.  "  I  had  heard  some  intimations 
of  this,  nothing  definitely.  Connell  has  been  very 
close  mouthed.  I  tried  to  bluff  Gormly  with  that. 
I  don't  know  what  effect  the  disclosure  is  going 
to  have.  I  don't  know  how  true  it  is.  It  seems 
rather  suspicious." 

"  Connell  had  better  be  careful  what  he  does," 
returned  Rutherford.  "  He'd  better  be  very  sure 
of  his  facts." 


292         THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Why  did  you  leave  the  handling  of  the  affair 
to  him?" 

'  Well,  he'd  make  a  good  scapegoat  if  any- 
thing went  wrong,"  answered  Rutherford  with 
cynical  indifference.  "  And  the  rest  of  the  crowd 
are  thoroughly  aware  of  that,"  he  added  as  the 
two  descended  to  the  street. 

Now,  as  it  happened,  Colonel  Bill  Hamilton 
was  not  so  guileless  as  he  looked.  After  the  first 
exclamation  and  the  first  few  confidences  over  the 
drinks  which  he  gave  to  the  plain  clothes  man  who 
had  so  adroitly  sought  to  get  his  story  on  that 
eventful  night,  Colonel  Bill  shut  up  like  a  clam. 
The  interest  of  the  stranger  in  the  story  was  sus- 
picious. Colonel  Bill  knew  a  great  many  things 
that  he  had  not  told,  and  did  not  intend  to  tell 
unless  it  was  necessary.  Therefore,  he  soon  got 
rid  of  his  new  friend  and  went  to  his  room  to 
think  it  over. 

He  was  morally  certain  that  Gormly  and  the 
man  whom  he  had  known  as  a  boy  as  George  For- 
dyce  were  one  and  the  same.  Fortunately  he  had 
always  liked  Fordyce,  and  he  was  not  disposed  to 
do  anything  that  would  injure  him.  He  re- 
gretted extremely  the  casual  exclamation  and  the 
few  confidences  he  had  already  given  his  new 
friend  over  a  convivial  glass  in  an  adjoining  cafe. 
He  was  glad  that  he  had  checked  himself  in  his 
revelations  just  in  time.  Meanwhile  he  intended 
to  do  a  little  investigating  on  his  own  account. 

Of  course  he  had  heard,  as  had  everyone  else 


THE  LAST  COUNCIL  OF  WAR        293 

in  the  United  States,  of  the  remarkable  campaign 
of  George  Gormly  for  the  mayoralty  of  New 
York.  He  had  not  had  a  great  amount  of  per- 
sonal interest  in  the  matter,  however.  But  when 
he  identified  Gormly  with  Fordyce,  the  affair  at 
once  engaged  his  keenest  attention.  Since  the  day 
he  had  left  Kill  Devil  Camp,  he  had  never  heard 
one  word  of  either  the  man  or  the  woman.  He 
had  supposed,  as  everyone  else  had,  that  they  had 
perished  in  the  storm,  and  although  their  bodies 
had  never  been  recovered  there  were  plenty  of 
reasons  to  account  for  that. 

Now  that  he  had  identified  Gormly  with  For- 
dyce, he  proceeded  to  inquire  into  the  situation 
with  great  thoroughness.  Uncouth  and  unedu- 
cated though  he  appeared,  he  was  yet  a  man  of 
much  natural  ability  and  native  shrewdness.  It 
was  easy  for  him  to  learn  the  history  of  the  life 
of  his  friend  since  he  came  to  New  York. 
He  had  only  to  go  back  over  the  files  of  the  news- 
papers to  find  out  that.  Although  he  was  noth- 
ing of  a  politician,  he  divined  how  useful  to  the 
opposition  would  be  such  a  story  as  that  to  which 
he  had  unwittingly  given  the  clue.  With  this 
knowledge  in  his  possession,  he  carefully  pon- 
dered his  course.  He  had  sense  enough  to  per- 
ceive that  it  wrould  not  be  a  matter  of  great  diffi- 
culty, with  the  indication  that  had  slipped  from 
him,  to  follow  the  story  down  to  its  source  and 
thereafter  to  trace  it  out  in  all  its  ramifications  to 
the  bitter  end.  He  thought  that  the  story  would 


294  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

probably  be  spread  broadcast  throughout  the  pa- 
pers at  some  opportune  time. 

What  was  he  to  do?  Was  he  to  see  Gormly, 
or  Fordyce  as  he  called  him,  and  put  him  on  his 
guard?  Or  was  he  to  wait  and  be  governed  by 
circumstances?  This  was  not  an  easy  problem  to 
decide;  but  Colonel  Bill  Hamilton  finally  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  his  best  game  was  the  waiting 
one.  Besides  he  liked  to  play  a  lone  hand,  and 
he  felt  every  confidence  that  he  could  do  it. 

Meanwhile  he  determined  to  fortify  himself 
with  such  evidence  as  he  could  secure,  and  at  the 
proper  time,  if  the  story  was  ferreted  out  and  an 
attempt  was  made  to  make  use  of  it,  he  would,  as 
he  phrased  it,  "  butt  into  the  game !  "  He  set  the 
telegraph  to  work,  therefore,  and  presently  re- 
ceived from  his  partner  in  Butte  by  express  a  tin 
box  full  of  very  private  official  documents.  There- 
after he  amused  himself  by  following  the  progress 
of  the  campaign  and  doing  some  highly  profitable 
local  investigating  on  his  own  account,  the  result 
of  which  filled  him  with  joy  and  satisfaction.  He 
heard  Gormly,  who  had  plunged  into  the  work 
with  renewed  zeal  and  energy,  speak  a  number  of 
times.  The  old  man's  heart  warmed  to  the 
youngster  whom  he  had  known  so  many  years  be- 
fore in  the  wild  West.  He  felt  a  sense  of  per- 
sonal pride,  of  proprietorship,  as  it  were,  in  his 
success,  and  he  longed  to  make  himself  known  to 
him,  but  concluded  not  to  do  so  just  yet. 

The  demonstration  of  the  alliance  between  the 


THE  LAST  COUNCIL  OF  WAR        295 

Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  and  the 
Sachem  Society,  the  publication  of  the  member- 
ship of  Haldane  and  his  friends  in  the  traction 
company,  the  exhibition  of  its  iniquitous  processes, 
came  off  according  to  schedule.  Such  a  storm  of 
wrath  and  indignation  rose  in  the  public  breast  after 
the  disclosure  as  had  never  been  equaled  in  any 
political  campaign  in  New  York.  At  first  it  was 
feared  that  the  control  of  the  city  would  be  taken 
in  the  hands  of  mobs.  It  was  only  the  personal 
efforts  of  Gormly  and  his  associates  cooperating 
with  the  Mayor  and  the  Chief  of  Police  that  saved 
Haldane  and  his  most  conspicuous  partizans  from 
bodily  violence. 

The  storm  was  so  terrific  that  the  administra- 
tion papers  made  no  attempt  to  counter  it.  They 
contented  themselves  with  stating  that  any  discus- 
sion of  the  issue  or  any  defense  of  the  accused  was 
inadvisable  in  the  present  heated  state  of  public 
opinion,  and  at  the  proper  time,  under  proper  con- 
ditions, the  matter  would  be  explained  satisfac- 
torily to  the  unprejudiced.  Meanwhile  the  party 
in  power  grimly  set  its  teeth  and  under  the  able 
leadership  of  the  Sachem  Society,  never  so  bril- 
liantly displayed,  massed  its  cohorts  for  the  final 
trial  of  strength  in  the  election,  now  three  days 
off.  With  all  the  machinery  in  their  hands,  with 
all  the  facilities  for  promoting  fraud  at  their  dis- 
posal, they  were  nevertheless  by  no  means  assured 
that  they  could  so  control  affairs  as  to  win  out. 

The  stocks  of  the  Gotham   Freight  Traction 


296  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Company  had  fallen  off  terrifically,  and  every 
other  interest  furthered  by  the  syndicate  of  which 
Haldane  was  the  head  had  suffered  accordingly. 
The  city  was  on  the  verge  of  a  tremendous  panic. 
Unrest,  excitement,  uncertainty,  were  in  the  air. 
The  people  had  been  aroused  as  never  before. 
The  great  multitude  of  them  were  resolute  and 
determined  to  break  up  once  and  forever  the  ring 
that  had  dominated  the  city  and  put  at  the  head 
of  it  the  man.  The  members  of  the  Sachem 
Society  and  the  forces  of  the  administration  were 
equally  determined  that  this  should  not  be  done. 
All  over  the  United  States  men's  hearts  turned 
toward  New  York.  It  had  gradually  become 
evident  to  the  civilized  world  that  the  battle  of 
free  government  was  being  fought  out  there,  and 
no  issue  that  was  ever  presented  to  a  people  over- 
shadowed in  degree  and  importance  that  one. 
Gormly's  name  was  in  every  man's  mouth.  It 
seemed  now  that  no  human  power  could  prevent 
his  election  and  the  overthrow  of  the  most  cor- 
rupt, nefarious,  venal,  debauched,  and  debauching 
body  of  men  that  had  ever  swayed  the  destinies 
and  fattened  upon  the  resources  of  a  great  city. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE    CHIEF    OF    POLICE    VISITS    MR.    GORMLY 

the  evening  of  the  second  day  before  the 
election  Connell,  dressed  in  plain  clothes  and 
entirely  unaccompanied,  presented  himself  very 
late  at  night  at  Gormly's  apartment  and  desired 
to  see  him.  Gormly  was  still  busy  with  Chaloner 
over  some  necessary  correspondence  after  one  of 
the  largest  and  most  enthusiastic  meetings  at  which 
he  had  spoken.  It  was  Somes  who  admitted  the 
official.  Gormly's  establishment  was  a  simple 
one,  and  the  other  servants  had  gone  home  for 
the  night. 

The  chief  presented  no  card.  He  did  not  care 
to  be  identified  any  more  than  was  necessary.  His 
manner  was  imperious  as  became  his  station,  bully- 
ing as  became  his  errand,  and  blustering  as  be- 
came his  character.  Somes  knew  very  well  who 
he  was,  and  while  he  had  some  of  the  English  awe 
of  the  police  he  had  all  the  hatred  of  a  zealous  and 
devoted  partizan  of  his  master,  which  he  cer- 
tainly was,  for  the  enemy.  Therefore  he  re- 
quested the  functionary  to  take  a  seat  while  he 
carried  the  request  for  an  interview  to  the  library. 

Connell  had  intended  to  force  his  way  into  the 
presence  of  Gormly  without  any  delays  or  pre- 
297 


298  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

liminaries;  but  there  was  something  in  the  square 
shouldered,  determined  appearance  of  the  man 
that  made  him  conclude  to  comply  with  the  re- 
quest to  be  seated  where  he  was.  After  all  there 
was  no  use  indulging  in  an  argument  of  any  sort 
with  that  underling,  he  reflected;  his  business  was 
with  the  master.  Therefore  he  settled  himself 
comfortably,  luxuriating  in  the  interview  he  was 
about  to  have,  which  he  felt  certain  would  be 
greatly  to  his  taste.  He  drew  out  a  big  cigar  and 
lighted  it  and  puffed  away  contentedly  enough, 
concentrating  his  thoughts  for  that  which  lay  be- 
fore. 

Somes  entered  the  library  without  knocking,  a 
most  unusual  course  for  him.  He  also  took  occa- 
sion to  turn  the  key  of  the  door  behind  him.  Then 
he  stood  at  attention  in  his  respectful  English  way. 
Gormly  had  looked  up  instantly  the  door  was 
opened,  and  had  stopped  his  dictation.  He  was 
greatly  surprised  at  the  valet's  entrance,  and  more 
surprised  when  he  locked  the  door;  but  he  real- 
ized that  something  unusual  was  up  and  said  noth- 
ing. 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir,"  began  Somes  deprecat- 
ingly,  "  but  there's  a  party  out  in  the  hall  wants 
to  see  you." 

"Who  is  it?" 

"  He  didn't  give  any  name,  sir,  but  I  recognized 
him  as  the  Chief  of  Police." 

"The  Chief  of  Police!" 

"  Yes,  sir." 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY        299 

"  What  does  he  want?  " 

11  He  didn't  say,  sir." 

"  What  was  his  message  ?  " 

"  Just  to  tell  you  that  a  gentleman  —  that's 
what  he  called  himself,  sir  —  wanted  to  see  you." 

"  Where  is  he  now." 

"  I  left  him  sitting  out  in  the  hall,  but  I  wouldn't 
be  too  sure  as  to  where  he  is,  sir.  He  seemed  to 
want  to  come  right  in  here  without  permission, 
and  that's  why  I  locked  the  door,  sir." 

"  I  see,"  answered  Gormly,  a  twinkle  of  amuse- 
ment in  his  eye.  "  I  wonder  what  the  Chief  of 
Police  can  have  to  say  to  me?  Well,  I  suppose 
I'd  better  see  him.  Chaloner,  will  you  go  into  the 
dining  room  and  wait  until  I  call  for  you.  Tell 
the  chief  to  come  in,  Somes." 

While  Chaloner  gathered  up  his  notebooks, 
pencils,  and  letters  and  withdrew  into  the  dining 
room  across  the  hall,  Somes  unlocked  the  door, 
stepped  out  into  the  hall  and  presently  returned. 
He  threw  the  door  of  the  library  open  in  great 
style,  drew  himself  up  and  announced  as  if  it  had 
been  a  reigning  prince : 

"The  Chief  of  Police  of  the  City  of  New 
York!" 

Connell  glared  at  him  suspiciously,  but  said 
nothing.  He  entered  the  room,  carefully  closed 
the  door  behind  him,  and  stood  facing  his  host. 

"  To  what,"  asked  Gormly  suavely,  "  am  I  in- 
debted for  the  honor  of  this  visit  at  this  late 
hour?" 


300  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

He  glanced  at  the  clock  as  he  spoke  and  ob- 
served that  it  was  half-after  eleven. 

"  I've  got  something  to  say  to  you,  Gormly," 
began  Connell  bruskly. 

"  I  am  not  aware  of  any  intimacy  between  you 
and  me,  Mr.  Connell,  which  warrants  you  in  your 
familiar  mode  of  address.  If  you  have  anything 
to  say  to  me  on  any  subject,  a  prerequisite  to  say- 
ing it  will  be  good  manners,  so  far  as  you  are  able 
to  compass  them.  Do  you  understand?  If  you 
don't,  I'll  put  it  in  plain  English!  Address  me 
with  decency  and  respect,  or  I'll  have  you  put  out 
of  the  house !  " 

"Me!"  roared  Connell.  "You'd  lay  hands 
on  me,  an  officer  of  the  law,  in  the  discharge  of 
his—" 

"  Are  you  come  here  as  an  officer  of  the  law  in 
the  discharge  of  your  duty?  If  so,  will  you  please 
tell  me  without  further  delay  what  you  want, 
where  is  your  warrant  and  incidentally  inform  me 
why  you  come  in  plain  clothes?  " 

"  Never  mind  how  I  come  or  why  I  come !  " 
said  Connell  wrathfully.  "  As  I  said,  I've  got 
something  to  say  to  you," —  he  paused  for  a  mo- 
ment — "  Mr.  Gormly,  if  that's  your  name.  I'm 
going  to  say  it,  and  you're  going  to  listen !  " 

"  Am  I  ?  "  said  Gormly.  "  You  see  that  bell  ?  " 
He  pointed  to  one  of  the  buttons  in  the  big  desk 
in  the  library.  "  I  have  only  to  press  that  to  have 
two  men  here  instantly.  The  three  of  us  are  quite 
equal  to  throwing  you  out  of  the  apartment,  and 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY        301 

two  of  us,  I  know,  would  be  more  than  willing  to 
do  it.  I  think  I  have  had  about  enough  of  you, 
anyway.  I  have  no  interest  in  anything  that  you 
have  to  say.  I  can  conceive  of  no  possible  results 
from  any  interview  between  us.  Therefore,  if  you 
will  kindly  leave  without  further  annoying  me,  I 
shall  be  obliged." 

"  Well,  I  don't  leave  yet  till  I've  had  my  say, 
George  Fordyce !  "  was  the  answer. 

In  spite  of  himself  Gormly  started.  He  con- 
trolled himself  instantly,  however. 

"  You  seem,"  he  said  coolly  enough,  "  to  have 
discovered  my  middle  name,  which  I  dropped  for 
reasons  that  seemed  good  to  me  when  I  came  to 
New  York." 

"  For  reasons  that  seemed  good  to  you !  " 
sneered  the  big  officer.  "  I  guess  they  were  good 
to  you !  " 

"What  do  you  know  about  them?"  asked 
Gormly  quietly. 

"  I  know  what  they  were." 

"  And  it  is  to  tell  me  what  you  know  that  you 
came  here  to-night  ?  " 

"  Not  by  any  means.  It's  to  tell  you  what 
you've  got  to  do  that  I'm  here." 

"  And  what  have  I  got  to  do?  " 

"  You've  got  to  withdraw  from  this  campaign 
now,  to-night." 

"  And  how  do  you  propose  that  I  should  with- 
draw?" 

"  Set  down  there  and  write  that  for  business 


302         THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

reasons  you've  concluded  to  withdraw  from  the 
campaign;  that  you  advise  your  friends  to  vote 
for  Pete  Warren,  the  best  Mayor  New  York  ever 
had;  that  you're  convinced  that  you  were  wrong 
in  the  charges  you've  made;  that  investigation  has 
showed  you  that  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction 
Company  is  all  right  and  that  the  Sachem  So- 
ciety is  equally  honorable  and  virtuous.  You'll 
know  how  to  put  it.  I  give  you  the  substance. 
Fancy  it  up  in  your  own  language.  You  can 
sling  words  good  and  plenty  as  has  been  proved 
in  this  campaign.  That's  all  you  got  to  do." 

The  chief  sat  down  in  one  of  the  big  leather 
chairs,  crossed  his  legs,  and  puffed  away  at  his 
cigar  with  evident  enjoyment. 

"Pretty  tough  situation,  ain't  it?"  he  asked. 

"  And  if  I  do  this,"  asked  Gormley,  "  what 
do  I  get?" 

"  You'll  get  silence  as  to  your  doings  twenty- 
five  years  ago." 

"  Would  you  mind  telling  me  what  my  doings 
were  twenty-five  years  ago?  " 

"  Certainly  not,"  said  the  chief.  "  No  reason 
for  concealment  between  you  and  me,  that  I  can 
see.  You  ran  away  with  a  miner's  wife  out  at 
Camp  Kill  Devil,  Wyoming,  in  the  midst  of  a 
howlin'  blizzard.  With  the  wife  you  took  the 
man's  pile,  product  of  his  hard-workin',  toilsome 
life  for  a  worthless  woman  and  you.  And  be- 
fore you  left,  you  put  a  bullet  into  the  man's 
breast.  There's  three  counts  against  you;  theft, 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY       303 

'dultery,  murder.  You'll  make  a  hell  of  a  reform 
Mayor,  won't  you?  How'd  the  people  enjoy 
that?" 

"  And  the  price  you  offer  for  your  silence  is 
that  I  shall  give  up  the  battle?  " 

"  That's  about  it." 

"  Why  are  you  offering  me  anything,  if  you 
possess  this  power  and  are  confident  as  to  your 
information?  Why  don't  you  publish  this  stuff 
and  knock  me  out  without  giving  me  any  chance 
to  withdraw?  " 

"  See  here,  Gormly,  it  ain't  for  you  to  ques- 
tion !  It's  for  you  to  do  what  you're  told. 
We've  decided  that  this  is  the  way  this  scheme 
is  goin'  to  be  worked,  that's  all  there  is  to  it.  If 
we  have  our  reasons  for  not  publishin'  the  stuff, 
why  they're  ours;  they're  not  yours." 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Gormly,  "  that  you  think, 
after  you  have  forced  me  to  withdraw,  if  I  should 
do  so—" 

"  There  ain't  no  *  if  about  it.  You've  got 
to!" 

"  We'll  pass  that  by.  I  suppose  you  think  you 
can  bleed  me,  blackmail  me,  put  me  on  your  list 
of  contributors  to  the  end  of  time." 

"  Nobody  ever  said  you  was  a  fool,  George 
Gormly,"  remarked  the  chief  with  a  gleam  of 
approbation  in  his  eye;  "but  you  see  we've  got 
you  dead  to  rights.  You're  helpless;  there's 
nothing  you  can  do.  Why,  man,  all  I've  got  to 
do  is  to  go  down  to  the  District  Attorney  and 


3o4  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

swear  out  a  warrant  to  have  you  arrested  for 
murder.  We've  got  our  fingers  on  the  woman 
you  run  away  with, —  and  a  pretty  lookin'  old 
hag  she  is  now,  too.  She  don't  want  to  be  mixed 
up  in  it;  but  we've  got  hold  of  her,  and  if  neces- 
sary she'll  swear  that  you  done  it.  We've  located 
several  people  that  used  to  live  in  Camp  Kill 
Devil  who  remember  the  circumstances.  One  of 
'em  said,  and  the  woman  corroborates  it,  that  you 
wrote  an  acknowledgment  with  your  own  hand, 
sayin'  that  you  shot  up  the  man,  and  you  left  it 
in  the  cabin.  Maybe  we  can  turn  that  up  too. 
It's  all  as  clear  as  day.  I  don't  really  know  why 
I  stay  here  talkin'  about  it  any  longer,  except  I 
rather  enjoy  seein'  you  squirm." 

"Have  you  seen  me  squirm  any  yet,  chief?" 

"  No,  not  yet;  but  I  can  imagine  how  you're 
feelin'  beneath  that  iron  composure  of  yours. 
I've  had  to  deal  with  too  many  blackguards  and 
criminals  not  to  know  that." 

"  And  I  suppose  that  some  of  your  knowledge 
is  introspective  as  well?  " 

"  What  are  you  givin'  me  ? "  answered  the 
other,  to  whom  the  language  was  more  or  less 
Greek.  "  We've  arranged  it  this  way." 

"  May  I  ask  who  '  we  '  is?  " 

"  Certainly.  There's  no  secrets  between  us 
now.  Haldane,  Van  Slyke,  McRonald,  Ruther- 
ford, Liffey,  Benson,  Warren,  Habberley,  and 
myself.  You  see  we  rather  run  things  in  little 
old  New  York.  Well,"  the  man  threw  up  his 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY       305 

hands,  laid  down  his  cigar  and  yawned  pro- 
digiously, "  it's  gittin'  late.  I'll  take  that  with- 
drawal and  go." 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  better  for  me  to  have  my  sec- 
retary here,"  said  Gormly,  "  and  dictate  what  I 
have  to  say?  Let  him  make  a  number  of  carbon 
copies  of  it,  so  that  we  could  send  it  to  all  the 
papers." 

"  Well,  if  you  want  to  let  your  secretary  in  on 
this  game,  I  don't  see  that  I've  got  any  objec- 
tions," said  the  chief.  "  Of  course,  the  more 
that  knows  it  the  slimmer'll  be  —  However,  I 
guess  I  can  settle  with  him.  Bring  him  in." 

Gormly  stepped  to  the  door. 

"  Mr.  Chaloner,"  he  said,  "  will  you  bring  your 
notebook  and  pencils  here?  Mr.  Chaloner,  this 
is  the  Chief  of  Police,  Mr.  Connell,"  he  continued, 
as  the  young  man  entered  the  room. 

"  Pleased  to  know  you,"  said  Connell  grimly. 

Chaloner  bowed  without  saying  anything. 

"  Will  you  be  seated,  Mr.  Chaloner,  and  take 
a  statement  from  my  dictation?  By  the  way," 
he  pushed  a  button  on  the  desk,  and  the  door 
into  the  hall  opened  instantly,  with  suspicious 
promptness,  it  might  have  been  thought,  had  any 
of  the  party  given  it  any  attention,  "  Somes,"  said 
Gormly,  "  I  want  you."  The  servant  stepped  into 
the  room.  "  Lock  the  door,  please,  so  that  I 
may  be  sure  we  are  not  interrupted." 

The  command  was  instantly  obeyed. 

The  Chief  of  Police  stared. 


3o6  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  You  ain't  going  to  let  this  English  pup  into 
the  game  too,  are  you?  "  he  growled. 

Somes'  hands  clenched  and  tightened;  his  teeth 
locked;  but  he  was  too  well  trained  to  say  any- 
thing. 

"Why  not?"  asked  Gormly  nonchalantly 
enough.  "  He'll  have  to  take  the  slips  to  the 
papers." 

"  I'll  tend  to  that  myself." 

"  Very  well.  But  so  long  as  he  is  here,  I  have 
no  objection  to  his  remaining.  Have  you  ?  " 

"  It's  your  funeral,  not  mine.  I  can  take  care 
of  him  too,  I  guess,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Now,"  said  Gormly,  "  this  gentleman,  as  you 
know,  is  the  Chief  of  Police." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Somes. 

"  He  has  asked  me  to  dictate  a  certain  state- 
ment to  the  people  of  the  city  of  New  York,  and 
I'd  like  to  have  you  hear  what  I  have  to  say  and 
witness  all  that  occurs." 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Are  you  ready,  Mr.  Chaloner?  " 

"  Quite  ready,  sir." 

It  was  Gormly's  habit  —  a  bad  one,  but  one 
that  he  had  never  been  able  to  overcome  —  to 
walk  up  and  down  as  he  dictated.  He  stepped 
over  to  the  desk  before  he  spoke,  selected  a  cigar 
with  great  care,  lighted  it  amid  breathless  silence, 
and  the  chief  noticed  with  grudging  admiration 
that  the  hand  that  held  the  match  did  not  tremble 
a  particle. 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY         307 

"  To-night  at  half  after  eleven  o'clock,"  began 
Gormly,  "  the  Chief  of  Police  of  the  City  of  New 
York.  .  .  ." 

"You  needn't  bring  me  into  it!  "  roared  Con- 
nell,  sitting  up. 

"  Will  you  have  the  goodness  to  be  silent,  sir?  " 
cried  Gormly.  u  I  am  dictating  this  statement, 
not  you !  " 

"Well,  you're  going  to  dictate  what  I  say," 
thundered  the  chief,  slamming  his  big  hand  down 
on  the  desk,  "  or  I'll  — " 

"  Keep  back  there,  Somes,"  said  Gormly 
sharply  as  the  man  stepped  forward,  his  face 
aflame.  "  I  can  deal  with  the  man.  Connell," 
he  continued,  "  you  are  going  to  sit  right  there 
until  I've  finished  with  you." 

"  Am  I  ?  "  roared  the  chief.     "  We'll  see !  " 

He  threw  his  big,  fat  hand  around  to  his  hip 
pocket;  but  he  wasn't  quick  enough  in  his  mo- 
tion. Gormly  had  lived  in  the  West  and  had 
acquired  some  of  the  Western  habits.  There  is 
not  a  policeman  in  New  York  or  any  other  city 
who  would  not  be  absolutely  at  the  mercy  of  even 
a  third  rate  Western  bad  man,  when  it  came  to 
drawing  a  weapon  and  firing  it.  Before  he  could 
feel  the  grip  of  his  own  pistol,  he  found  himself 
looking  down  the  barrel  of  a  neat  thirty-two 
which  Gormly  had  produced  from  somewhere,  the 
chief  was  too  dazed  to  know  where. 

"  Throw  up  your  hands,  chief,"  said  Gormly 
coolly. 


3o8  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

There  was  something  in  the  man's  voice  and 
look  that  made  the  chief,  who  was  not  unfamiliar 
with  resolute  men,  comply.  Up  went  his  huge 
hands  in  the  air. 

"  Now,  Somes,"  said  Gormly,  "  see  what  he 
has  on  him." 

The  valet  quickly  extracted  a  heavy  Colt's  re- 
peating pistol  from  the  chief's  hip  pocket.  He 
ran  his  hands  lightly  over  the  man's  clothing  on 
the  other  side. 

"  I  think  that'll  be  all,  sir." 

"  Good.  Give  it  to  me,"  Gormly  laid  the  two 
pistols  down  on  the  desk  by  the  side  of  the  sec- 
retary. "  Now,  Somes,"  he  said,  "  you  stand 
right  behind  him,  and  if  he  attempts  to  get  out  of 
his  chair  keep  him  down." 

"You're  assaulting  an  officer  of  the  law!" 
roared  the  chief,  snapping  his  fingers. 

"  You  ought  to  be  man  enough  to  know  that 
the  game's  against  you  so  far,"  said  Gormly, 
"  and  keep  quiet  until  I  get  through.  Then  I'll 
give  you  a  chance  to  talk.  Are  you  ready  now, 
Mr.  Chaloner?" 

"  Quite  ready,  sir,"  was  the  imperturbable  an- 
swer of  that  most  excellent  young  man. 

"  I'll  begin  again : 

"  To-night  at  half  after  eleven  o'clock  Ben  Con- 
nell,  the  Chief  of  Police  of  the  City  of  New 
York,  called  at  my  apartment.  He  came  unac- 
companied and  wearing  plain  clothes.  The  ob- 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY        309 

ject  of  his  'visit  was  to  demand  of  me  that  I  should 
withdraw  as  a  candidate  for  the  Mayor  of  New 
York;  that  I  should  request  the  people  who  had 
honored  me  with  their  support  to  vote  for  War- 
ren; that  I  should  declare  my  belief  in  the  integ- 
rity of  the  Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company 
and  the  purity  of  the  Sachem  Society  of  which 
he  is  an  honored  member.  The  means  by  which 
he  sought  to  induce  me  to  take  this  course  were 
a  promise  of  silence  as  to  certain  episodes  in  my 
past  career,  and  a  threat  of  instant  publicity,  in- 
cluding a  possible  arrest  if  I  refused.  In  the 
presence  of  my  private  secretary  Philip  Chaloner, 
of  my  friend  and  servant  William  Somes,  and  of 
the  Chief  of  Police,  Connell  himself,  I  am  dic- 
tating this  statement. 

"  Twenty-five  years  ago  I  came  to  New  York. 
Since  that  time  my  career  has  been  thoroughly 
exploited.  The  detective  force  of  the  city,  sup- 
plemented by  whatever  talent  could  be  procured 
or  suborned,  has  had  me  under  investigation.  To 
not  one  act  have  they  been  able  to  point  of  which 
I  am  ashamed,  or  upon  which  they  could  fix  an 
attack. 

"  When  I  came  to  New  York  I  was  nineteen 
years  of  age.  I  was  born  in  Vermont.  I  re- 
ceived a  common  school  education,  graduating 
from  the  high  school  when  I  was  sixteen.  My 
father  died  before  I  was  born,  my  mother  at  my 
birth.  Some  small  property  accruing  to  me  was 
turned  over  to  me  by  my  guardian  on  my  gradua- 


3io          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

tlon  from  the  high  school.  I  spent  two  years  at 
sea  as  a  cabin  boy,  and  then  drifted  West,  finally 
bringing  up  at  Kill  Devil  Camp  in  Wyoming. 

"  There  I  came  under  the  influence  of  a  woman 
older  than  I,  who  thought  it  not  unbecoming  to 
'her  to  beguile  and  entrap  the  young  Eastern  ten- 
'derfoot  who  was  just  entering  upon  his  nineteenth 
year.  I  was  young,  inexperienced,  impression- 
able: I  fell  completely  under  her  influence. 
'There  is  something  to  be  said  for  her,  poor 
woman.  She  was  married  to  a  drunken  brute  of 
a  husband,  a  miner,  a  gambler,  who  was  not  only 
unfaithful  to  her,  but  who  abused  her  frightfully. 
I  think  my  sympathies  more  than  my  affections 
were  engaged.  I  had  a  chivalric  desire  to  help 
her,  a  boy's  reverence  for  womankind  abused  and 
suffering,  a  quixotic  spirit  of  knight  errantry,  of 
which  even  now  I  am  not  ashamed. 

"  I  had  still  some  little  money  left,  and  resolved 
to  take  her  away  from  her  intolerable  life.  I 
do  not  wish  to  shelter  myself  behind  a  woman; 
but  I  have  always  told  the  people  of  New  York 
the  exact  truth,  and  I  am  doing  it  now.  We  had 
planned  to  leave  the  camp  on  a  certain  night  and 
ride  south  to  the  Union  Pacific.  That  night  was 
the  night  of  the  great  blizzard  of  1882,  which  is 
still  remembered  in  the  West.  It  was  very  late 
when  I  reached  her  cabin  with  the  horses.  The 
woman  was  ready  for  me,  waiting  eagerly  in  fact. 
tier  husband  had  recently  won  a  small  sum  of 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY       311 

money  by  gambling.  That  money  she  took  with 
her. 

"  We  had  turned  to  the  door  to  go  out,  al- 
though it  was  almost  certain  death  to  be  abroad 
in  such  a  storm,  when  her  husband  entered  the 
room.  How  he  knew,  or  whether  he  knew,  what 
we  were  going  to  do,  I  cannot  say.  At  any  rate, 
he  was  there.  He  covered  me  with  a  gun;  I  was 
entirely  helpless.  He  declared  his  intention  of 
shooting  me,  and  delayed  only  that  he  might  en- 
joy what  he  conceived  my  fear  of  death,  possibly 
my  pleading  for  life. 

"  I  was  young  and  fond  of  life,  and  began  un- 
buttoning my  coat  to  get  at  my  own  weapon.  If 
I  had  had  more  experience,  I  should  have  had  it 
ready  to  hand;  but  I  was  new  to  the  West,  and 
there  were  many  things  from  the  frontiersman's 
point  of  view  that  I  had  to  learn.  Of  course  he 
could  have  prevented  my  making  any  motion  by 
ordering  my  hands  up;  but  he  had  the  drop  on 
me;  he  knew  he  had  but  to  press  the  trigger  at 
any  time  and  I  was  done  for;  so  he  allowed  me 
to  fumble  away  at  the  fastenings  of  my  coat  while 
he  talked. 

"  I  worked  in  a  desperate  hurry,  and  at  last  got 
my  hand  on  the  butt  of  my  pistol.  I  saw  from 
the  look  of  his  eye  that  I  would  have  little  time 
to  draw  it.  I  realized  that  unless  I  could  I  was 
a  doomed  man.  At  that  instant  there  was  a  flash 
and  a  report  in  the  room.  Immediately  after. 


312  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

the  man  pulled  the  trigger  of  his  own  pistol;  but 
the  bullet  went  wild.  He  sank  down  on  his  knees, 
and  fell  back  dying.  I  dropped  my  own  weapon 
and  bent  over  him.  There  was  a  hole  in  his  breast 
through  which  the  blood  was  oozing." 

"  Who  shot  him  ?  "  growled  the  chief,  who 
had  been  listening  with  the  greatest  absorption  to 
the  narrative. 

"  The  woman  shot  him,"  answered  Gormly. 
"  But  you  need  not  put  that  in,  Chaloner.  Let  it 
go  as  I  have  dictated  it."  He  resumed  to  his 
stenographer : 

rf  There  was  nothing  that  I  could  do  for  the 
man.  It  was  more  than  ever  necessary  that  we 
get  away.  In  pity  for  the  woman,  I  tore  a  blank 
leaf  from  a  book  and  wrote  upon  it  that  I  had 
shot  this  man.  We  left  that  note  on  the  body 
and  plunged  into  the  storm.  Words  cannot  con- 
vey the  frightful  nature  of  the  tempest.  We  be- 
came separated  in  the  storm  through  no  fault  of 


mine." 


'  Why  the  woman  told  me  she  threw  you  down 
herself  after  you  gave  her  your  horse,"  said  the 
Chief  of  police. 

"  Don't  put  that  down,  Chaloner.  That's  not 
necessary.  Now,"  said  Gormly  quietly,  "  just 
add  this: 

"After  a  frightful  experience  I  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  station.  I  came  to  Chicago,  drifted 
about  there  for  awhile,  and  thereafter  came  to 
New  York  determined  to  retrieve  the  past. 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY        313 

Whether  I  have  done  so  or  not  it  is  for  you,  my 
fellow  citizens,  to  judge.  Whether  this  story 
which  I  relate  to  you  now,  because  I  am  compelled 
to  do  so  —  naturally  not  from  choice  —  destroys 
your  confidence  in  me  and  makes  you  believe  that 
I  am  unworthy  of  your  suffrages  and  thereby  un- 
fit to  fill  the  office  to  which  I  aspire  for  your 
service,  it  is  for  you  to  decide.  At  any  rate,  I 
declare  to  you,  what  is  now  quite  evident,  that  so 
far  as  I  am  concerned, —  conscious  that  however 
you  may  regard  this  solitary  episode  in  my  life, 
which  I  confess  to  my  sorrow  —  /  am  now  as 
confident  of  my  competence  and  my  integrity  to 
do  what  I  said  I  would  do  if  you  elect  me  as  I  was 
before  the  disclosure  was  made. 

"  I  have  informed  the  Chief  of  Police  in  clos- 
ing that  this  statement  is  to  be  sent  to  every  paper 
in  the  city.  He  and  those  associated  with  him 
who  authorized  this  blackmailing  proposition  — 
and  I  point  out  that  the  fact  that  they  made  it 
is  evidence  of  their  quality  —  may  do  whatever 
they  please  in  the  premises.  It  only  remains  to 
add  that  in  the  West  for  some  boyish  whim  I 
went  under  the  name  of  George  Fordyce.  The 
last  is  my  middle  name,  and  I  sign  this  statement 
therefore 

"  GEORGE  FORDYCE  GORMLY." 
"Have  you  got  it  all,  Mr.  Chaloner?" 
"  Every    word,    sir,"    said    Chaloner.     "  And 
permit  me  to  say,  Mr.  Gormly,  that  I  never  hon- 
ored you  as  much  as  I  do  now." 


314          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

u  Beg  pardon,  sir,  but  me  too,  sir,"  cried 
Somes. 

;'  Why,  you  infernal  fool !  "  roared  the  chief, 
"  you're  not  going  to  give  the  whole  thing  away 
like  that?" 

"  Mr.  Connell,  that  statement  goes  out,  and 
by  the  hands  of  Somes,  to  every  paper  in  New 
York  as  quickly  as  it  can  be  typewritten.  Mr. 
Chaloner,  will  you  please  make  the  very  best  speed 
possible  to  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  It  won't  serve  your  purpose,"  blustered  the 
officer.  "  In  the  first  place  I  can  deny  my  part 
of  it  —  I  do  deny  it !  You  hear  me,  you  short- 
hand man,  before  you  go,  and  you,  you  English 
whelp  I  I  say  it's  a  damned  lie !  I  never  made 
any  such  proposition  to  him.  It's  just  one  of  his 
grandstand  plays." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,"  said  Somes,  address- 
ing his  master,  "  but  I  can  testify  that  he  did 
make  such  a  proposition." 

"How  can  you  testify?"  asked  Gormly. 

"  I  listened,  sir,  at  the  door ;  my  ear  to  the  key- 
hole." 

"  You  hound !  "  cried  the  officer. 

"  I  don't  generally  resort  to  that  practice,  Mr. 
Gormly,  as  you  know,  sir,"  pleaded  Somes. 

"  I  believe  you,  Somes." 

"  But  in  this  instance  I  did  it  because  I  knew  the 
man  was  up  to  mischief,  and  I  thought  you  might 
want  a  witness,  sir.  You  know  I  am  sufficiently 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY        315 

devoted  to  your  interests  to  have  kept  silent,  if  you 
had  wished  me,  sir." 

"  Your  statement  is  of  the  utmost  value,"  said 
Gormly,  smiling.  "  It  will  be  entirely  useless  in 
the  face  of  this  proof  for  the  Chief  of  Police  to 
deny  that  he  came  here  and  for  what  purpose. 
You  see  there  is  my  word,  the  word  of  Somes  yon- 
der, the  corroborative  evidence  of  Mr.  Chaloner 
that  you  were  here." 

"  And  what  about  my  word?  " 

"  Well,  if  you  say  you  weren't  here,"  said 
Gormly  coolly,  "  that'll  be  about  the  strongest 
evidence  that  could  be  presented  that  you  were." 

"  I'll  swear  that  it's  a  damned  conspiracy;  that 
you  inveigled  me  here,  knowing  that  this  was  go- 
ing to  be  made  public,  and  turned  it  to  your  ad- 
vantage in  this  way." 

"  You  can  swear  anything  you  like." 

"  I'll  take  oath  to  what  I  said,  sir,"  interposed 
Somes. 

"Good,"  said  Gormly.  "  Mr.  Chaloner,  I 
believe  you  are  a  notary  public?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Chaloner,  looking  up  from 
the  typewriter,  which  he  was  clicking  busily. 

"  Will  you  kindly  administer  an  oath  to  Mr. 
Somes  here." 

It  was  the  first  time  that  Gormly  had  ever  dig- 
nified his  valet  with  such  a  title,  and  the  man's 
face  gleamed  with  pleasure. 

Chaloner  picked  up  his  pencil.  "  What  is  the 
oath?" 


3i6  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Allow  me  to  dictate  it,"  said  Gormly. 

"/,  William  Somes,  do  solemnly  swear  that  at 
half  after  eleven  o'clock  to-night  I  admitted  to  the 
apartments  of  Mr.  George  Gormly,  in  whose  em- 
ploy I  am,  one  Ben  Connell,  to  me  known  to  be 
the  Chief  of  Police  of  the  City  of  New  York; 
that  on  receiving  permission,  I  ushered  said  Con- 
nell into  the  library,  where  he  had  an  interview 
with  the  said  George  Gormly ;  that  from  my  posi- 
tion outside  in  the  hall  I  heard  every  word  of  said 
interview;  that  it  took  place  exactly  as  it  is  de- 
scribed in  the  statement  of  said  George  Gormly ; 
that  the  Chief  of  Police  did  offer  to  suppress  the 
story  if  said  Gormly  would  withdraw  from  the 
campaign." 

"  That  covers  it,  I  think." 

*  Yes,  sir.     Exactly,  sir,"  was  the  answer. 

"Add: 

"Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me,  Philip 
Chaloner,  notary  public,  and  so  on." 

"  Very  well,  sir,"  said  Chaloner.  "  And  by 
the  way,  I  think  it  might  be  of  service  if  I  added 
to  your  statement  that  while  I  did  not  hear  the 
interview  between  you  and  the  Chief  of  Police, 
I  am  prepared  to  swear  that  it  took  place  at  the 
time,  place  and  under  the  circumstances  men- 
tioned." 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  do  so,  and  I  think 
that  will  be  all  that  is  necessary,"  said  Gormly. 
"  Now,  Mr.  Connell,  have  you  any  other  move  to 
make?" 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY        317 

"  You'll  find  yourself  arrested  for  murder  by 
your  own  confession  in  the  morning,"  said  the 
chief. 

'  That  may  be,"  answered  Gormly,  "  although 
I  hardly  think  so.  There  are  probably  cooler 
heads  and  wiser  than  yours  in  the  ring  which  I 
am  fighting,  and  I  scarcely  think  they  will  desire 
to  proceed  to  that  extremity." 

"  I  will  see  the  District  Attorney  at  once." 

"  Do  so,  and  ask  him  at  the  same  time  his 
opinion  of  your  own  course, —  whether  as  an  of- 
ficer of  the  law  you  have  been  criminally  culpable 
in  your  action, —  and  tell  him  that  as  soon  as  it 
is  daylight,  information,  official  and  formal,  shall 
be  laid  before  him  and  that  you  will  be  im- 
peached, indicted,  dismissed,  imprisoned.  And 
this  whether  I  am  elected  or  not.  You  dog !  "  he 
cried  with  increasing  heat,  "  I  wish  I  was  back 
in  the  West  for  a  few  hours  where  men  take  mat- 
ters into  their  own  hands  and  settle  their  differ- 
ences in  the  old  fashioned  way!  There  wouldn't 
be  any  necessity  for  processes  of  law  where  you 
were  concerned." 

"  You'll  find  out,"  roared  the  chief,  whose  feel- 
ings were  a  compound  of  bafflement,  rage,  and 
fear,  "  before  I've  done  with  you  — " 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  ring  at  the  door 
of  the  apartment.  The  electric  bell  had  been 
ringing  before ;  but  no  one  had  noticed  it. 

"  See  who  it  is,  Somes,"  said  Gormly.  "  And 
as  for  you,  keep  silent." 


3i8  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

In  a  moment  the  Englishman  came  back,  fol- 
lowed by  Livingstone  Haldane  in  a  great  state 
of  excitement. 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  he  cried  as  he  burst  into  the 
room,  not  seeing  the  chief,  who  sat  on  the  other 
side  of  the  open  door  and  somewhat  sheltered 
by  it,  "  they  are  going  to  do  you  up !  They 
have  unearthed  some  cock-and-bull  story  and  are 
going  to  force  you  out  of  the  campaign.  My 
father  gave  it  away  to  me  to-night.  He  said  you 
would  be  out  of  it  in  the  morning,  and — " 

"  This,"  said  Gormly  coolly  to  the  chief,  "  is 
confirmation  of  your  plan,  if  we  needed  it." 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  Livingstone  Haldane,  ob- 
serving for  the  first  time  the  other  man.  "  Are 
you  here?  " 

"  I'm  goin'  now,"  answered  the  chief,  rising. 

"  Before  you  go,  remember  that  here  is  an- 
other witness  that  you  were  here,"  said  Gormly, 
pointing  to  young  Haldane. 

"  So  he's  been  here  with  his  dirty  story,  has 
he?"  growled  the  young  man. 

"  He  has." 

"  And  what  have  you  done?  " 

"  Chaloner  is  preparing  a  statement  that  I 
have  issued  for  the  press." 

"  Be  warned  by  me,  Mr.  Gormly,"  said  the 
chief,  his  voice  a  singular  mixture  of  entreaty  and 
bullying,  "  don't  send  that  fool  stuff  to  the  papers. 
Perhaps  we  can  deal  on  some  other  basis.  If  we 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY        319 

let  you  get  the  election  and  keep  quiet  about  this 
thing,  maybe  we  can  get  together  and — " 

"  Somes,"  said  Gormly,  "  show  this  man  the 
door,  and  if  he  opens  his  mouth  or  says  another 
word,  I  give  you  leave  to  accelerate  his  exit  in 
any  manner  you  may  desire." 

"  Gimme  my  gun." 

"  We'll  keep  that  for  the  present." 

The  Chief  of  Police  stared  wrathfully  about 
him.  He  glanced  toward  his  pistol  on  the  table. 
He  made  a  move  toward  it.  Haldane  interposed. 

"  No,  I  said  you  could  not  have  that,"  he  said 
quickly,  "  and  Somes,  if  you  need  any  assistance, 
count  on  me." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Somes  quickly,  "  but  I 
am  equal  to  the  situation  myself."  He  pointed 
to  the  door.  "  Go !  "  he  cried  imperiously,  all 
the  meekness  with  which  he  conducted  himself  in 
the  presence  of  Gormly  vanishing. 

The  Chief  of  Police  opened  his  mouth. 

"  Remember,"  said  Gormly,  "  if  he  says  a 
single  word,  he  is  in  your  hands." 

"  At  my  feet,  sir,  beg  pardon,  sir,"  returned 
Somes. 

Without  making  a  sound,  the  chief  turned,  and, 
followed  closely  by  the  valet  who  hung  on  his 
flanks  like  a  bulldog,  his  fingers  itching  to  grasp 
his  collar,  the  officer  strode  from  the  room. 

"  Now,  what  is  it  all  about?  "  asked  Haldane, 
when  the  door  had  closed  behind  them. 


320          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

By  this  time  Chaloner  had  finished  one  batch 
of  the  statements.  Without  a  word  Gormly  took 
one  and  handed  it  to  the  young  man.  He  read 
it  through  with  staring  eyes. 

'  You  are  going  to  send  this  out?  " 

"  Instantly." 

"  It's  the  bravest  thing  I  ever  saw  done." 

"  It  has  to  be,"  said  Gormly.  "  What  will  be 
the  result  of  it  on  the  people?  " 

"  If  I  can  judge  by  myself,  it  will  settle  the 
question  forever  in  your  favor." 

'  Then  you  don't  withdraw  from  me  be- 
cause — " 

"  I  am  not  the  withdrawing  kind,"  said  Hal- 
dane.  "  You're  a  man  through  and  through. 
You  gave  me  a  new  hold  on  life,  a  new  interest. 
You  have  made  something  of  me.  I  am  going 
to  stick  by  you  to  the  very  end.  Let  me  get  my 
signature  on  that  thing.  I  want  to  testify  that 
I  saw  the  Chief  of  Police  here,  and  that  I  know 
from  what  he  said  in  my  presence  that  what  you 
say  is  true.  They  will  see  that  the  Haldanes  are 
divided,  and  that  those  on  your  side  are  not  afraid 
or  ashamed  to  support  you." 

"  I  can  never  be  grateful  enough  to  you,"  said 
Gormly. 

"  That's  all  right,"  said  the  young  man,  walk- 
ing over  to  where  Chaloner  sat  and  dictating  a 
line  or  two  to  be  added  to  the  statements. 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  Gormly,  "  I  don't  think 
we're  out  of  the  woods  yet.  I  believe  that  black- 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY       321 

guard  is  capable  of  surrounding  the  house  and 
preventing  the  delivery  of  any  of  these  letters  to 
the  papers." 

"  What  good  would  that  do  him?  " 

"  It  would  give  him  time." 

"  Give  me  what  you  have  written,"  said  Hal- 
dane.  "  My  car's  down  below.  He  won't  have 
had  time  to  do  anything  yet."  He  picked  up 
the  chief's  pistol.  "  Give  me  this  too,  and  if 
anybody  stops  me,  it  won't  be  a  happy  thing  for 
him." 

"  Good,"  said  Gormly,  taking  the  first  batch. 
He  marked  them  for  the  most  important  of  the 
morning  papers.  "  If  you  can  deliver  these,  we'll 
chance  the  rest.  I'll  send  the  others  out  by 
Somes  and  Chaloner." 

"  Have  you  any  objection,"  said  Haldane  as 
he  picked  up  the  batch  of  papers  and  buttoned 
his  coat,  "  to  my  telling  Eleanor?  " 

"  I  wish  you  would  so  so.  You  will  confer  a 
favor  on  me  by  doing  it  immediately." 

"  I  will.  Jove !  wasn't  it  lucky  that  I  heard 
this  from  my  father  to-night  and  came  down  here 
to  warn  you?  Goodby.  We'll  win  yet." 

He  wrung  the  other's  hand  and  darted  from 
the  room.  As  he  stepped  into  his  car  a  number 
of  men  turned  into  the  street  and  approached  the 
house.  There  were  officers  among  them,  but 
most  of  them  wore  plain  clothes. 

"Hey,  stop  that  car!"  roared  a  deep  voice 
which  Haldane  recognized  as  that  of  Connell. 


322  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Gormly's  suspicions  were  justified.  The  car 
had  already  fortunately  started  when  one  or  two 
men  leaped  at  him.  One  of  them  gained  a  foot- 
ing on  the  car.  With  one  hand  Haldane  threw 
on  the  high  speed,  with  the  other  he  shoved  the 
pistol  in  the  man's  face.  The  man  fell  back. 
The  car  leaped  suddenly  forward.  The  chance 
was  gone. 

A  moment  after  Gormly  himself  came  out  of 
the  street  door.  The  men  were  huddled  in  front 
of  the  apartment  house.  He  could  hear  Connell 
cursing  terribly. 

"  Ah,  chief,"  said  he  urbanely,  "  unfortunately 
you  were  too  late.  The  first  batch  of  copies  has 
gone  by  the  hands  of  Mr.  Haldane  in  that  car. 
Good  night,  gentlemen." 

He  turned  and  walked  back  to  the  hallway  and 
took  the  elevator  to  his  own  apartment.  It  was 
as  he  had  said.  The  Chief  of  Police  recognized 
it.  There  was  nothing  further  that  he  could  do. 
His  attempt  to  use  brute  force  had  failed.  For 
weal  or  woe,  the  secret  was  out.  He  stood  hesi- 
tating a  few  moments,  gave  a  few  orders,  and  the 
men  left  the  street.  The  remaining  statements 
were  soon  transcribed  and  put  into  shape. 
Chaloner  and  Somes  set  forth  to  deliver  them 
to  the  various  newspapers.  Gormly  was  left 
alone. 

He  had  put  a  bold  face  upon  the  whole  mat- 
ter. He  had  taken  the  brave,  the  wise,  course, 
which  after  all  was  the  only  prudent  course  to 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY        323 

take.  He  had  not  weakened  under  the  tre- 
mendous pressure  of  the  situation  for  a  single 
instant.  He  had  borne  himself  with  amazing 
coolness  and  courage.  Yet  the  man  was  abso- 
lutely stricken  to  the  heart.  What  the  effect  of 
the  disclosure  would  be  upon  the  campaign,  how 
the  people  would  receive  it,  whether  or  not  he 
would  lose  their  confidence,  whether  or  not  the 
honorable  reputation  he  had  built  up  by  years 
of  just  and  generous  dealing,  would  vanish,  he 
could  not  tell ;  and  to  be  truthful,  at  that  moment, 
these  questions  were  not  the  chief  of  those  which 
filled  his  heart. 

He  asked  himself  how  Eleanor  Haldane  would 
receive  the  disclosure,  and  what  effect  it  would 
have  upon  her.  Although  she  had  been  over- 
whelmed by  the  revelation  of  her  father's  posi- 
tion, Gormly  had  learned  from  young  Haldane 
that  he  had  not  thereby  forfeited  her  regard.  In- 
deed, he  suspected  that  when  she  came  to  look 
at  the  thing  dispassionately,  when  she  realized 
that  loving  her  as  he  had,  he  had  nevertheless  re- 
fused her;  that  he  had  remained  true  to  his  duty 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  both  her  father  and  she  her- 
self had  proffered  him  the  greatest  temptation 
that  can  come  to  man, —  she  might  the  more  ap- 
prove of  him.  He  thought  that  she  might  per- 
haps even  grow  to  love  him  out  of  the  very  whirl- 
pool of  sorrow  into  which  he  had  plunged  her. 
He  knew  that,  while  she  had  repeated  her  father's 
offer,  from  some  wild  and  quixotic  imagination 


324  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

that  it  was  incumbent  upon  her  to  save  her  father 
at  any  cost,  she  would  have  despised  him  utterly 
if  he  had  accepted.  He  could  not  forget  that  she 
had  kissed  his  hand  as  they  parted. 

Now  what  difference  would  this  make  to  her? 
She  had  said  several  times  that  what  she  admired 
in  him  was  his  splendid  record,  his  unblemished 
honor,  his  unspotted  past.  And  now  what  would 
she  think? 

He  might  have  made  his  defense  stronger.  He 
might  have  said  that  the  woman  had  shot  the 
man.  He  might  have  declared  her  abandonment 
of  him  in  the  snow  storm,  her  leaving  him  to  die. 
He  might  have  pointed  out  that  he  had  assumed 
the  guilt  to  shelter  her;  but  chivalry  was  strong 
in  Gormly.  It  was  mistaken  sentiment  in  this 
contingency,  possibly.  He  should  have  thrown 
it  to  the  winds  in  such  an  emergency;  but  he  had 
told  just  as  little  that  would  incriminate  her  as 
possible.  He  had  taken  the  burden  upon  him- 
self. He  did  not  care  for  that.  He  had  no  re- 
gret as  to  that  part  of  it;  but  it  would  have  been 
heavenly  to  him  if  she  at  least  could  have  known 
that  phase  of  his  action.  Well,  it  was  too  late 
now. 

Whether  he  were  elected  or  not,  he  would  be 
under  a  cloud,  forever  branded.  The  position  of 
the  Sachem  Society  and  the  Chief  of  Police  as  its 
representative  was  bad  enough;  so  bad  indeed 
after  this  attempt,  that  he  felt  more  or  less  cer- 
tain that  in  spite  of  the  revelation  Warren  would 


THE  CHIEF  VISITS  MR.  GORMLY        325 

be  defeated;  but  he  would  be  more  or  less  spotted 
forever. 

He  thought  a  long  time  about  the  situation, 
plunging  in  deeper  and  deeper  gloom  and  sadness 
as  the  hours  dragged  by.  At  last  he  abandoned 
all  hope  of  ever  winning  the  woman  that  he  loved. 
Well,  he  would  devote  himself  with  more  single- 
ness of  heart  on  that  account  to  the  interest  of 
the  people;  if  indeed,  after  this,  they  still  thought 
him  worthy  of  leadership  and  service. 


BOOK  IV 
THE  VICTORY 


327 


CHAPTER  XVII 

COLONEL  BILL  HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND 

V7X)UNG  Haldane's  first  duty  was  to  distribute 
•••  manifestos  to  the  newspapers  as  far  as  his 
copies  permitted.  It  did  not  take  him  long  to 
run  down  to  Newspaper  Row  and  City  Hall  Park. 
In  every  instance  he  insisted  upon  seeing  the  high- 
est responsible  person,  the  night  editor.  Having 
discharged  his  errand,  with  the  one  copy  which 
he  had  reserved  for  himself,  he  headed  for  home, 
hitting  up  a  tremendous  pace  as  he  raced  along 
the  almost  deserted  streets. 

Before  he  had  left  to  warn  Gormly,  he  had  in  a 
few  hasty  words  given  his  sister  an  inkling  of 
what  was  about  to  happen.  He  knew  that  she 
would  be  awaiting  the  result  of  his  interview  with 
an  anxiety  not  to  be  measured.  In  a  short  time, 
therefore,  he  placed  the  confession  in  her  hands. 
With  straining  eyes  and  throbbing  heart  the  girl 
devoured  the  typewritten  pages. 

Her  feelings  were  a  singular  compound  of 
varying  emotions.  For  one  thing,  there  was  re- 
lief that  it  was  no  worse;  for  another,  there  was 
admiration  at  the  boldness  and  courage  with  which 
the  man  had  grappled  with  a  desperate  situation, 
the  dexterity  and  resource  with  which  in  perfect 

329 


330  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

honor  and  dignity  he  had  extricated  himself  from 
the  dilemma  in  which  the  opposition  had  sought 
to  plunge  him,  the  magnificent  audacity  with 
which  he  had  faced  the  crisis  and  dominated  the 
interview;  lastly,  there  was  a  keen,  terrible  pang 
of  jealousy  and  bitterness  toward  that  other 
woman.  It  was  this  last  emotion  that  was  self 
revealing. 

Eleanor  Haldane  knew  now  that  she  loved  this 
man.  She  realized  in  this  unveiling  of  her  heart 
that  probably  she  had  loved  him  all  the  time; 
that  the  other  feelings  and  emotions  which  he 
had  stirred  in  her  heart  and  she  had  sought  to 
characterize  by  different  words  were  now  blended 
into  passion  as  great  as  his  own.  It  had  needed 
this  thought  —  that  that  possession  in  which  un- 
consciously she  had  luxuriated  had  not  been  al- 
ways hers,  that  he  had  cherished  affection  for 
some  other  woman,  that  in  days  gone  by  he  had 
even  pretended  or  thought  that  he  had  loved  this 
other  —  to  make  her  know  the  exact  state  of  her 
own  feelings. 

Eleanor  wondered,  as  these  thoughts  swiftly 
raced  through  her  mind,  what  this  other  woman 
had  been  like.  He  had  said  that  she  was  not 
a  good  woman.  She  wondered  if  he  still  remem- 
bered her.  For  twenty-five  years  in  New  York 
he  had  declared  he  had  known  no  woman  as  in- 
timately as  he  had  known  her.  How  far  could 
recollection  carry  an  ancient  image  under  such 
circumstances?  Was  she,  Eleanor  Haldane,  in- 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND    331 

deed  first  in  his  heart?  Would  she  always  be 
so? 

She  sat  quite  silently,  staring  at  the  paper, 
reading  the  lines  over  and  over  again,  thinking 
her  thoughts,  until  her  brother  who  had  absented 
himself  for  a  brief  space  came  back  into  the  room. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  what  are  you  going  to 
do?" 

"  What  am  I  going  to  do !  What  have  I  to 
do?" 

"If  your  heart  doesn't  tell  you,  I  can't." 

"My  heart?" 

"  Yes.     The  man  loves  you." 

"  He  says  so." 

"  Says  so !  Why,  no  one  could  see  you  to- 
gether for  a  minute  without  knowing  it." 

"Well,  what  then?" 

"  He  is  fighting  the  hardest  battle  of  his  life. 
His  fate's  at  the  touch.  His  career  is  to  be  de- 
termined now.  He  wins  or  loses  to-morrow 
morning." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  see  all  that ;  but  what  can  I  do  ?  " 

"  It  is  not  for  me  to  tell  you.  You  should 
know." 

"  I  beg  you  to  say." 

"  Do  you  care  for  this  man  ?  " 

U  T  »» 

"  Answer  me  honestly,  sis." 
"  Yes,"  said  the  girl  simply. 
"  Well,  you  don't  care  very  much  if  you  don't 
know  what  to  do.'* 


332  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Miss  Haldane  stared  long  and  earnestly  at  her 
brother.  As  she  did  so,  she  came  to  a  resolution, 
sudden  to  the  superficial  view,  but  one  toward 
which  she  had  been  working  since  she  had  read 
the  communication. 

*  Will  you  take  a  note  to  him  to-night?"  she 
asked. 

"  Not  now,"  was  the  answer.  "  It's  too  late. 
(<  I  begged  him  to  go  to  bed  and  try  to  get  some 
rest.  He  will  need  all  his  strength  to-morrow." 

"  But  this  night  — " 

"  I  don't  care  what  it  is,  you  can't  get  it  to 
him  to-night.  Besides  that  isn't  the  best  way." 

The  girl  sat  down  at  her  desk,  picked  up  a 
pen,  and  drew  a  sheet  of  paper  toward  her.  She 
divined  what  was  in  her  brother's  mind.  She 
knew  what  would  be  the  best  way  after  all  as  well 
as  he.  Well,  she  would  do  it! 

"What  will  father  say?"  she  asked  half 
curiously. 

"  He  will  have  enough  to  do  explaining  his 
part  in  this  transaction  to  say  anything  about 
anything  else." 

"  You  don't  think  that  he  — " 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  it,"  answered  young  Hal- 
dane gravely;  "  but  it  was  father  who  gave  me  the 
clue,  you  know,  and  I  am  dead  certain  that  the 
whole  ring  have  put  the  Chief  of  Police  up  to  his 
dirty  work." 

He  turned  away  as  he  spoke  and  hung  his  head 
in  shame.  Eleanor  Haldane  had  already  gone 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND     333 

through  the  fires,  and  to  her  overwrought  soul  it 
seemed  that  no  further  humiliation  could  be 
brought  upon  her. 

"  Maybe,"  she  said  at  last,  forcing  herself  to 
speak  with  trembling  lips  and  sinking  heart,  "  he 
won't  care  after  — " 

"  Don't  be  a  fool,  sis !  "  said  her  brother 
roughly,  yet  not  unkindly.  "  He  cares  more  for 
you  now  than  anything  on  earth  except  his  elec- 
tion, and  I  don't  know  but  that  he  would  even 
let  that  slide  — " 

"  He  wouldn't!  "  was  the  answer.  "  That  day 
at  Louise  Stewart's,  father  offered  me  to  him  if 
he  would  not  publish  that  matter  about  the  Trac- 
tion Company,  and  — " 

"And  he  refused?" 

"  Yes." 

"Great  God!  I  didn't  think  the  old  man 
could  sink  so  low." 

"  He's  been  dragged  down,"  said  the  woman, 
eager  to  defend  her  father.  "  He's  been  caught 
by  this  crowd  and  is  helpless." 

The  idea  of  his  father  helpless  in  any  situation 
was  grimly  amusing  to  young  Haldane.  He 
knew  him  better  than  the  woman,  and  understood 
more  clearly  than  she  the  whole  situation.  How- 
ever, it  was  not  for  him  to  undeceive  his  sister. 
He  nodded  and  said: 

"  Very  likely." 

"That  isn't  all  either,"  she  went  on  dreamily; 
"  for  I  repeated  the  offer." 


334  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"What!  "  cried  her  brother. 
1  Yes.     I  asked  him  if  I  said  I  would  marry 
him,  whether  he  would  stop  the  publication." 

"  And  he  refused  you?  " 

"  He  did." 

"  God!  that's  a  man  if  ever  there  was  one!  " 
*  Yes,"  was  the  answer,  "  and  that  is  why  I 
am  taking  this  step  now.     If  he  had  accepted  me, 
I   should   have   despised   him.     He   would   have 
sunk,"  she  said  bitterly,  "  to  our  family  level." 

"  Never  you  mind  about  our  level,  sis,"  said  the 
man  gently.  '  There  are  few  people  on  earth 
that  are  as  high  as  your  level;  and  if  Gormly  ever 
does  get  you,  he'll  be  mighty  lucky." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  the  girl  simply.  "  Now, 
I  want  you  to  help  me  with  what  I  have  to  write." 

Haldane  seated  himself  by  her  side,  and  the 
two  heads  were  soon  busily  bent  over  the  desk. 

While  all  this  was  happening  up  town,  mat- 
ters were  stirring  down  town.  The  editor-in- 
chief  of  The  Planet,  belated  at  a  dinner,  hap- 
pened to  come  in  for  a  final  inspection  just  as  the 
night  editor  finished  reading  the  first  copy  of 
Gormly's  communication. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  that?  "  he  said,  tossing 
it  over. 

A  few  moments  sufficed  to  put  the  editor,  who 
was  one  of  the  coolest  and  most  self  contained 
of  men,  in  possession  of  the  contents.  He  shook 
his  head. 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND     335 

"  It's  bad  business,"  he  remarked,  handing  it 
back. 

"Will  it  beat  him?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  was  the  answer.  "  I  think 
not.  If  ever  a  man  did  atone  for  criminal  folly 
or  carelessness  by  his  life,  Gormly  has.  He  seems 
to  have  been  more  sinned  against  than  sinning, 
anyway.  People  generally  like  a  man  who  tries 
to  brace  up  and  do  the  square  thing,  and  if  they 
had  a  few  days  to  think  it  over,  I  believe  it  would 
do  him  more  good  than  harm ;  but  you  see  the 
election  comes,"  he  looked  at  his  watch.  It  was 
after  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  "  to-morrow." 

"  Of  course,  we  will  want  to  say  something  edi- 
torially about  it." 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  answer.  "  I  will  do  it 
myself." 

He  sat  down  at  his  desk,  took  the  paper  up 
again,  scanned  it  carefully.  "  Look  here,"  he 
said.  "  There  is  something  concealed  about 
this." 

"What  is  it?"  asked  the  subordinate. 

"  Well,  in  the  first  place  it  doesn't  say  who  shot 
the  man." 

"  Why,  he  says  he  wrote  a  confession." 

"  Yes,  I  know.  I  believe  the  woman  fired  the 
shot,  and  that  he's  trying  to  save  her!  If  we 
could  only  settle  that  question,  it  would  be  some- 
thing to  soften  the  revelation." 

"  By  Jove !  "  cried  the  night  editor,  "  that  re- 


336  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

minds  me!  "  He  picked  up  the  letter.  "  Camp 
Kill  Devil,  Wyoming!  One  of  the  cub  report- 
ers got  a  story  the  other  day  about  some  Western 
adventures  from  a  certain  Bill  Hamilton,  an  old 
Montana  mine  owner,  and  if  I'm  not  mistaken 
Camp  Kill  Devil  was  mentioned." 

"Where  is  the  story?" 

"  I  killed  it." 

"Where  is  the  reporter?  I  hope  you  didn't 
kill  him." 

"  No,"  was  the  answer.  He  tapped  a  bell  on 
his  desk.  "  Send  Mr.  Abbott  to  me  if  he's  out- 
side," he  said  to  the  messenger. 

Fortune  was  in  a  complacent  mood.  Abbott 
had  just  come  in  from  an  assignment.  He  was 
preparing  to  go  home  when  the  summons  reached 
him.  Instantly  he  presented  himself,  nervous 
and  trembling,  and  wondering  what  was  up,  be- 
fore the  two  demi-gods  who  decided  upon  the 
destinies  of  the  paper,  and  incidentally  upon  the 
fate  of  the  reporters,  cub  and  otherwise. 

"  Mr.  Abbott,"  said  the  night  editor  sharply, 
"  you  brought  a  story  in  here  the  other  day  from 
a  certain  Bill  Hamilton  in  which  a  Wyoming  min- 
ing camp  called  Kill  Devil,  or  some  such  name, 
was  mentioned.  Do  you  recall  it." 

"  Certainly,  sir." 

"  I  killed  the  story,"  said  the  night  editor. 
"  It  was  no  good.  But  now  we  want  very  much 
to  get  hold  of  the  man  who  gave  it  to  you.  Do 
you  know  where  he  is  to  be  found?  " 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND    337 

"  Yes,  sir.     He's  staying  at  the  Waldorf." 

"  Go  up  and  get  him  at  once !  "  cut  in  the 
chief  curtly.  "  My  machine  is  down  in  the  street. 
Get  him  up  here  if  you  have  to  kidnap  him.  Tell 
him  we  want  to  see  him  about  George  Gormly. 
We've  got  a  story  in  which  we  think  he  would  be 
interested." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  returned  Abbott. 

He  did  not  wait  for  any  further  instructions. 
He  darted  out  of  the  room  and  in  a  few  moments 
was  whirling  up  the  avenue. 

Colonel  Bill  Hamilton  had  gone  to  bed.  The 
office  force  made  some  demur  about  awakening 
him ;  but  when  Abbott  disclosed  who  he  was,  what 
he  represented,  and  what  interests  were  involved, 
they  sent  him  up.  Naturally  Colonel  Bill  was 
somewhat  annoyed  at  being  disturbed;  but  as  soon 
as  Abbott  mentioned  the  name  of  Gormly  he  was 
instantly  on  the  alert. 

"What  is  it?"  he  asked,  peering  through  the 
open  door. 

"  It's  about  George  Gormly.  The  editor-in- 
chief  of  The  Planet  is  at  the  office.  He  wants 
to  see  you  immediately.  It's  the  biggest  thing 
that  has  ever  come  off  in  New  York.  He  thinks 
that  maybe  ypu  know  something  about  it  and  can 
throw  some  light  on  it.  I  have  a  big  car  down 
here  waiting  for  you." 

"  I'll  be  down  in  a  minute,"  came  the  prompt 
answer. 

"  Please    hurry,    Colonel    Hamilton !      We're 


338  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

holding  the  presses,  waiting  for  you.  Don't  stop 
for  anything." 

"  Set  right  down  there,  young  man,"  said 
Colonel  Bill,  closing  the  door,  "  and  see  how 
quick  one  of  the  old  die-with-their-boots-on  crowd 
can  get  into  his  duds." 

Colonel  Hamilton  was  as  good  as  his  word. 
He  did  not  wait  for  any  undue  physical  adorn- 
ment. In  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time  he 
came  out  sufficiently  clad  for  decency,  and  grab- 
bing the  young  man  by  the  arm  he  fairly  ran 
down  the  corridor  toward  the  elevator.  The  late 
diners  were  astonished  as  Colonel  Bill  and  the 
young  cub  forced  their  way  through  the  crowded 
hall  to  the  automobile  outside.  The  Colonel  had 
not  forgotten  the  munitions  of  war,  and  he  car- 
ried a  tin  box  in  his  hand  which  he  had  snatched 
from  his  table  as  he  left  his  bed  room. 

"  Get  us  down  to  the  office  in  double  quick 
time,"  said  the  cub  reporter  to  the  chauffeur. 
"  Never  mind  about  fines.  Bust  up  the  machine, 
if  necessary;  but  get  us  there!  That's  the  old 
man's  orders.  We  haven't  got  any  time  to  spare," 
he  yelled,  as  the  big  car  started. 

They  went  down  the  avenue  at  a  terrific  pace, 
despite  the  protests  of  the  officers  by  whom  they 
flashed  in  the  night  and  the  efforts  that  were  made 
to  report  them  and  stop  them. 

"  By  gosh !  "  said  Colonel  Bill,  as  he  got  out 
of  the  car  after  a  nerve  racking,  hair  raising  run, 
"  I  don't  know  but  what  you  can  git  as  much 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND     339 

fun  out  of  them  things  as  a  bronco  on  occasion. 
B'lieve  I'll  take  two  or  three  of  'em  back  with 
me.  We'll  have  a  jumpin'  time  with  'em  out  on 
the  hills,  and — " 

"  This  way,  sir,"  said  the  cub  reporter,  piloting 
him  into  the  elevator  at  once.  "  Here  you  are !  " 
he  exclaimed  after  a  wild  sweep  upward. 

He  led  him  through  a  couple  of  doors  and 
ushered  him  into  a  big  brightly  lighted  room 
where  two  men  sat. 

"  Colonel  Bill  Hamilton,  sir,"  said  Abbott 
breathlessly.  He  almost  felt  like  saluting  and 
saying,  "  Come  aboard,  sir !  " 

"  Thirty-two  minutes,"  said  the  night  editor, 
looking  at  his  watch.  "  Very  well  done." 

"  Mr.  Abbott,  you  may  remain  here,  if  you 
wish,"  said  the  editor  to  the  cub.  "  It  will  be 
interesting  for  you  to  hear." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  the  delighted  young 
reporter,  making  himself  small  and  inconsiderable 
in  a  corner  whence  he  could  hear  and  see  every- 
thing. 

"  Colonel  Hamilton,  I  believe,"  began  the  edi- 
tor suavely. 

"  Yes." 

**  I  am  Mr.  Whitefield,  the  editor  of  this  paper. 
This  is  Mr.  Shaw,  the  night  editor." 

"  Pleased  to  meet  you,  gents,"  said  Colonel 
Bill.  "  And  if  ever  you  come  out  to  Butte,  I'll 
try  to  show  that  we  got  a  white  town  for  white 
men." 


340  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  You  must  excuse  me,"  said  the  editor,  "  for 
having  brought  you  down  here  so  summarily  at 
this  hour  of  the  night,  but  affairs  of  great  mo- 
ment— " 

"  The  kid  said  it  was  about  George  Gormly." 

u  It  is,"  exclaimed  the  editor.  "  We  learned 
incidentally  through  a  story  turned  in  by  this 
most  excellent  young  man  here,"  he  pointed  to 
the  smiling  cub  reporter,  "  which  I  have  no  doubt 
that  we  shall  be  able  to  resurrect  that  you  had 
once  lived  at  Kill  Devil  Camp  — " 

"  And  it  was  the  worst  named  camp  I  ever  seen. 
So  far  as  the  devil  bein'  killed,  he  was  there  and 
raisin'  hell  all  the  time." 

"  Exactly,"  said  the  editor.  "  I  have  no  doubt 
we  can  get  many  remarkable  episodes  of  that 
interesting  part  from  you;  but  just  at  present — " 

"  You  want  to  know  about  Gormly?  " 

"  We  do." 

"Well,  what  is  it?" 

"  Read  this,"  said  the  editor. 

Colonel  Bill  fished  a  pair  of  spectacles  out  of 
his  side  pocket  and  deliberately  perched  them 
astride  of  his  nose.  One  would  never  have 
imagined  from  his  slow  movements  that  he  had 
been  the  quickest  hand  on  the  draw  in  Wyoming 
in  his  young  days  and  that  he  could  even  give 
some  of  the  youngsters  pointers  now.  He  read 
the  letter  through  very  slowly.  The  night  editor 
was  in  a  fever  of  impatience.  Even  the  imper- 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND     341 

turbable  editor-in-chief  was  considerably  more  agi- 
tated than  usual. 

"Well,  of  all  the  damned  scoundrels!  "  began 
Colonel  Bill. 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  the  editor.  "  You  don't 
mean  that  it  isn't  true." 

"  Partly,  partly." 

"And  Gormly?" 

"  God  bless  you !  I  wasn't  referrin'  to 
Gormly,"  said  the  old  frontiersman.  "  I  mean 
the  Chief  of  Police.  He  wouldn't  last  more'n 
a  day  out  West  after  such  blackmailin'  doin's  as 
that.  Why—" 

"  But  the  story?  "  asked  the  editor. 

"  I  s'pose  I'm  partly  responsible  for  it,"  said 
old  Hamilton;  "  for  I  was  down  at  the  City  Hall 
the  other  night  when  they  had  that  big  meeting, 
and  I  happened  to  mention  that  Gormly  reminded 
me  of  a  young  feller  I  used  to  know  out  at  the 
camp  named  Fordyce,  George  Fordyce,  to  a  fel- 
low there.  He  was  slick,  smooth,  and  agreeable 
enough  and  we  had  a  couple  of  drinks  together 
and  I  let  out  more'n  I'd  ought  to.  Since  then, 
however,  I've  been  doin'  a  little  quiet  investigatin' 
on  my  own  hook,  and  I've  here  in  this  tin  box, 
which  I  brought  down  with  me  and  which  I 
keep,  locked  all  the  time,  some  documents  you 
might  like  to  see." 

The  night  editor  groaned  over  the  long  winded- 
ness  of  the  frontiersman. 


342  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"What's  the  matter,  sonny?"  asked  Colonel 
Bill  solicitously.  "Ain't  sick,  are  you?" 

"  No,  no,"  was  the  answer. 

"  But  go  on,  please,  Colonel  Hamilton,"  said 
the  editor;  "  and  will  you  be  as  explicit  as  pos- 
sible. We  are  holding  up  the  paper  in  the  hope 
that  you  may  be  able  to  throw  some  light  on 
this  matter,  and  time  is  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance." 

"  I  see,"  was  the  reply.  "  Well,  then,  all 
that's  written  in  that  paper's  true  enough;  but  he 
ain't  told  all  the  truth." 

"  Would  you  mind  telling  us  what  has  been 
suppressed  or  left  out?  " 

"  Cert.  But  first  of  all,  I  want  to  know  where 
you  stand  on  this  game?" 

"Where  we  stand?"  asked  the  night  editor. 
"  We  are  advocating  Mr.  Gormly  and  support- 
ing him  for  Mayor  of  New  York.  Our  purpose 
in  seeking  you  is  to  get  some  information  that 
will  lighten  the  force  of  what  must  be  a  terrible 
revelation." 

"  I've  heard  about  you  New  York  newspaper 
men,"  said  Colonel  Bill  somewhat  suspiciously. 
"  Is  this  a  square  deal  you're  givin'  me?  " 

"Absolutely,"  said  Whitefield.  "On  my 
honor  as  a  man !  " 

He  looked  the  other  straight  in  the  eye.  Col- 
onel Bill  stared  hard  at  him. 

"  I  b'lieve  you,  pard,"  he  said.  "  If  you  ain't 
a  square  man,  I  ain't  never  seen  one." 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND    343 

Whitefield  waved  the  remark  aside.  "  Now, 
your  story." 

'  The  man's  wife  was  run  away  with  as 
Gormly,  or  Fordyce  as  I  knowed  him,  says  on 
that  night  he  indicates,  and  the  woman's  husband 
was  left  dyin'  on  the  cabin  floor." 

"  Yes." 

"  Nex'  mornin',  some  of  us,  suspicionin'  that 
there  might've  been  some  trouble,  after  the  storm 
died  out,  got  up  a  crowd  and  went  over  to  the 
man's  shack.  We  found  him  there — " 

"  Dead?  "  asked  the  editor. 

"  Not  yet,  but  mighty  nigh  gone." 

Colonel  Bill  drew  from  his  pocket  a  key  and 
unlocked  the  tin  box.  From  a  worn  envelope 
he  drew  forth  a  worn  piece  of  paper,  on  which 
was  written  in  pencil  that  was  very  much  faded, 
but  still  sufficiently  legible,  a  brief  message.  Col- 
onel Bill  unfolded  the  paper,  yellow  with  age,  and 
handed  it  to  the  editor,  who  seized  it,  turned  to 
the  light,  and  read: 

"  /  killed  him,  but  It  was  in  self  defense. 

"Fordyce." 

"  That's  the  first  bit  of  evidence,"  he  said. 

The  editor  nodded.     "  That  s&ttles  it." 

"  No,  it  don't,"  was  the  reply.  "  For  when 
we  got  there,  as  I  said,  he  warn't  dead,  and  we 
managed  to  revive  him  with  a  good  drink  of 
liquor,  which  Pete  Breeden  —  that  was  his  name 
—  always  would  respond  to,"  he  interpolated. 
"  And  he  managed  to  say  a  few  words." 


344  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"What  were  they?  " 

"  He  said  that  his  wife  shot  him  and  run  off 
with  Fordyce." 

"  Anything  more?  " 

"  Then  he  died." 

"  I  see,"  said  the  editor.  "  Gormly  took  the 
blame  upon  himself  to  shield  the  woman." 

"  He  done  that.  He  always  was  a  chivalrous 
feller,  that  tenderfoot,"  said  Bill  Hamilton. 
"  That's  the  reason  we  all  liked  him  so  much." 

"  It  will  be  Colonel  Hamilton's  unsupported 
statement  against  this  written  confession,  though," 
interposed  the  night  editor. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say,  young  feller,"  said 
Hamilton  ominously,  "  that  my  unsupported 
statement  ain't  good  enough  to  establish  any- 
thing?" 

"  Certainly  it  is,"  was  the  reply,  "  in  my  mind 
at  least;  but  you  must  remember  that  this  is  New 
York,  and—" 

"  Well,  as  it  happens,"  was  the  reply,  "  the 
statement  ain't  unsupported." 

"  What  more?  "  asked  the  editor. 

"  This." 

Colonel  Bill  from  the  same  tin  box  fished  out 
another  object  wrapped  in  a  piece  of  paper.  He 
unrolled  the  paper  and  exhibited  a  flattened  leaden 
bullet. 

"  This  come  from  a  thirty-two  caliber  revolver. 
Doc  Johnson,  who  was  the  only  medical  shark 
we  had  in  them  days,  he  performed  an  autopsy, 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND    345 

or  somethin'  like  that,  on  the  body  of  Breeden, 
and  he  got  this  from  it.  No  man  in  the  ter- 
ritory ever  carried  a  thirty-two.  Forty-five's  the 
usual  weepon  for  a  gent  out  there,  and  this  come 
from  the  woman's  gun.  I'd  often  seen  her  use 
it,  and  she  could  shoot  most  as  straight  as  a  man 
could,  that  woman." 

"  Good !  "  exclaimed  the  editor. 

"That  ain't  all,"  said  Colonel  Bill  trium- 
phantly. "  I  got  here  a  signed  paper  witnessed 
before  Justice  of  the  Peace  Jennings,  the  only 
one  we  had,  and  signed  by  me  and  several  other 
men,  which  swears  they  heerd  Breeden  say  his 
wife  killed  him  and  that  they  seen  this  thirty-two 
bullet  took  out  of  his  breast,  the  autopsy  bein' 
public  like  the  fun'ral.  And  it's  made  out  in 
due  form." 

"  It's  quite  satisfactory,"  said  the  editor,  glanc- 
ing at  it  and  passing  it  over  to  Shaw. 

"  So  you  see  we  fellers  kind  o'  thought  Fordyce 
done  a  man's  part  in  takin'  the  blame  on  hisself, 
and  I  always  kept  these  things.  I  thought  they 
might  turn  up  handy  sometime." 

"  You  did  well." 

"  And  that  ain't  all  either,"  said  Colonel  Bill 
Hamilton. 

"  What  more  have  you?  " 

"  Well,  I've  seen  the  woman.     She's  alive  yet." 

"  Naturally  she  must  have  been,  or  they  couldn't 
have  got  this  story  from  her,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Course.     Well,  the  end  of  the  story's  this: 


346          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

Them  people  plunged  south  in  that  blizzard. 
We  looked  for  'em  in  the  spring;  but  never  ex- 
pected to  find  their  remains,  'cause  it  was  more'n 
human  flesh  could  stand,  such  a  storm  as  that, 
and  we  naturally  s'posed  they'd  both  died  and 
got  e't  up  by  the  wolves  when  they  was  partly 
thawed  out.  But  the  other  night  I  was  takin'  a 
trip  through  the  tenderloin  —  for  observation 
purposes,"  said  Colonel  Bill  as  the  ghost  of  a 
smile  flickered  on  the  face  of  the  night  editor, — 
"  and  I  seen  this  woman  and  had  an  interview 
with  her.  She's  plumb  scared  to  death.  The 
Chief  of  Police  who  got  this  stuff  from  her  's 
frightened  her  out  of  her  boots.  But  I,  bein' 
an  old  friend  of  hers,  managed  to  calm  her  down, 
and  I  got  her  to  give  me  her  story.  She's  al- 
ways been  sorry  that  she  served  Fordyce  the  way 
she  done. 

"  I  don't  know  how  it  is,  but  somehow  I  got 
at  the  good  side  of  her.  You  see  these  women 
are  goin'  straight  to  hell  perhaps, —  although  I 
ain't  got  no  inside  information  as  to  that, —  but 
however  low  they  git  and  however  bad  they  are, 
there's  always  a  soft  spot  in  'em  somewhere. 
They're  women  still.  And  I  guess  I  must've 
touched  the  soft  spot  in  her  somehow  or  other; 
for  she  told  me  the  truth.  Or  maybe  it  was 
cause  I  knew  so  much  that  the  rest  didn't  know 
that  she  was  afraid  I'd  use  the  information,  which 
I'd  never  done  it  ag'in'  a  woman,  unless  it  was 
to  save  an  old  friend  like  Fordyce,  or  Gormly. 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND     347 

At  any  rate  she  confessed  the  whole  thing  to  me, 
and  she  said  furthermore  than  when  them  two  was 
goin'  south  in  the  storm,  her  horse  fell  down  and 
died,  and  that  Fordyce  got  off  his  horse  and  she 
mounted  it,  and  he  walked  hisself  hangin'  to  the 
saddle  strap,  and  she  said  that  seein'  that  the 
remainin'  bronc  was  givin'  out  too,  she  shoved 
Fordyce  down  and  galloped  away  and  left  him. 
And  I  got  her  signature  to  a  paper  confessin'  it." 

Again  Colonel  Bill  had  recourse  to  the  tin  box. 

"  Here  it  is.  Now  if  them  don't  make  a  com- 
plete case  for  my  old  friend,  I  don't  know  what 
else  to  do." 

"  Where's  the  woman?  "  asked  the  editor,  after 
he  had  examined  the  last  paper  that  Colonel  Bill 
had  submitted. 

"  Well,  you  won't  find  her,"  said  the  old  miner 
slowly.  "  She's  pulled  up  stakes  and  hit  the 
trail.  I  helped  her,  and  I  don't  mind  sayin'  that 
I  said  I'd  see  her  through  this  thing.  I  don't  be- 
lieve she  could  be  caught  where  she's  gone.  I 
don't  b'lieve  there'll  be  any  pursuit  made  after 
her;  but  if  she  is,  she's  got  to  be  let  go.  Pete 
Breeden  was  a  dog  if  ever  there  was  one,  and  he 
deserved  all  he  got.  That's  all,  I  guess.  Gosh! 
I'm  dry!" 

"  Mr.  Abbott,"  said  the  editor,  "  will  you  pro- 
cure such  refreshments  as  Colonel  Hamilton  is 
accustomed  to  take  under  such  circumstances?  " 

"  You  know  the  dope,  boy.  I  want  it  straight 
too.  Same's  we  had  the  other  night." 


348  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  the  reporter.  "  I'll  have 
it  here  in  a  minute." 

"  Now,  Colonel  Hamilton,"  said  the  editor, 
"  you  have  rendered  the  people  of  New  York, 
Mr.  George  Gormly,  and  incidentally  The  New 
York  Planet  about  as  great  a  service  as  we 
could  expect  to  receive  from  a  human  being. 
What  you  have  said  throws  an  entirely  new  light 
upon  Mr.  Gormly's  letter.  He  is  in  a  much 
more  admirable  position  through  you.  I  con- 
fess that  I  had  some  doubt  as  to  the  result  of 
this  publication,  bold  and  manly  and  frank  as  is 
Mr.  Gormly's  action.  I  feared  that  it  was  too 
near  the  election  for  the  people  to  appreciate  it 
thoroughly;  but  this  alters  conditions.  Why,  he 
appears  in  this  like  a  hero.  Mr.  Shaw,  will  you 
put  this  matter  in  shape  to  accompany  Gormly's 
letter,  while  I  comment  editorially  upon  it.  None 
of  the  other  papers  has  this,  of  course  ?  " 

"  I  ain't  never  breathed  it  to  a  soul  'cept  you," 
answered  Colonel  Hamilton. 

"  It  will  be  the  greatest  scoop  that  any  paper 
in  New  York  has  ever  had.  Will  you  remain 
here,  Colonel  Hamilton,  until  I  have  finished  my 
editorial?  Then  I  shall  be  glad  to  take  you  up 
to  the  Waldorf  on  my  way  home,  and  I  promise 
you  that  the  copy  of  the  paper  shall  be  ready  for 
you  so  soon  as  you  open  your  eyes  in  the  morn- 
ing." 

At  this  moment  the  cub  reporter  entered  with 
bottle  and  glasses. 


HAMILTON  PLAYS  HIS  LONE  HAND    349 

"  I'm  glad,"  said  Colonel  Bill  as  he  poured  out 
a  generous  portion,  "  to  be  of  service.  After 
you're  all  filled  up,"  he  continued  as  at  his  sug- 
gestion the  two  editors  and  even  the  cub  reporter 
accepted  a  small  drink  from  the  large  bottle, 
"  we'll  drink  health  and  success  to  my  young 
friend  Fordyce,  which  is  now  named  Gormly, 
and  damnation  to  the  Chief  of  Police  and  his 
gang!  " 

And  that  was  the  kind  of  toast  in  which  they 
could  all  heartily  join. 

The  editorial  was  soon  written.  Colonel  Bill 
and  Whitefield,  accompanied  by  the  cub  reporter, 
whose  home  lay  in  the  direction  of  the  Waldorf 
and  was  thus  signally  distinguished  before  all  the 
staff,  and  to  whom,  by  the  way,  advancement  had 
been  promised  quietly  by  the  editor  in  chief,  sped 
quickly  to  their  respective  destinations  and  went  to 
their  beds. 

Whitefield  had  thought  that  the  incident  was 
completely  covered  and  that  nothing  more  could 
be  added  to  the  amazing  story.  Before  the  forms 
were  finally  locked,  however,  and  the  first  edition 
went  to  press,  the  night  editor,  who  still  remained 
at  his  post,  received  a  communication  of  such 
amazing  importance  that  he  inserted  it  after  the 
editorial  in  large  capitals,  double  leaded,  as  the 
completing  touch  to  the  most  extraordinary  an- 
nouncement that  he  felt  had  ever  appeared  in 
The  Planet. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO 

/^ORMLY  was  usually  an  early  riser;  but  on 
^-*  the  morning  before  election  day  he  slept 
until  an  unprecedentedly  late  hour.  The  tense 
situation  of  the  day  before,  the  late  or  early  hour 
at  which  he  had  gone  to  bed,  and  his  long  time 
inability  to  get  to  sleep  thereafter  accounted  for 
this  variation  from  his  ordinary  practice.  He 
had  anticipated  something  of  the  kind,  and  had 
instructed  Somes  not  to  disturb  him.  He  did  not 
wish  to  be  called.  He  was  utterly  worn  out  with 
the  strain  of  the  campaign,  anyway,  and  the  oc- 
curences  of  this  last  night  had  almost  prostrated 
him.  There  was  ordinarily  nothing  much  to  be 
done  on  the  next  day,  the  Monday  preceding  elec- 
tion day.  One  final  meeting  was  scheduled  for 
Monday  night,  and  that  was  all.  What  would 
be  the  temper  of  that  meeting,  after  the  letter 
which  the  people  would  read  in  the  morning,  he 
could  not  tell.  Sunday  morning  he  had  been 
certain  of  success;  Sunday  night  it  was  a  prob- 
lem. Well,  he  had  done  all  that  he  could. 
Mortal  man  so  circumstanced  could  do  no  more. 
When  he  finally  did  get  to  sleep,  his  rest  was  un- 
broken and  long. 

350 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO        351 

It  was  perhaps  nine  o'clock  when  he  woke  up. 
He  did  not  make  use  of  the  services  of  his  man 
in  his  toilet;  he  did  not  employ  him  for  that  pur- 
pose. Therefore,  Somes  was  not  summoned. 
Once  awake,  Gormly  went  at  things  with  his  usual 
energy.  He  was  soon  bathed  and  dressed.  He 
had  signaled,  as  was  his  custom,  at  the  proper 
time  for  the  serving  of  his  simple  breakfast.  It 
was  ready  for  him  when  he  entered  the  dining 
room.  Somes  was  there  in  attendance  as  usual. 
A  pile  of  morning  papers  lay  on  the  buffet. 
Gormly  made  a  step  toward  them;  but  checked 
himself. 

"  Why,"  he  thought,  "  should  I  spoil  my  break- 
fast by  reading  what  the  newspapers  have  to  say 
on  the  important  subject  of  my  confession?  The 
news  will  keep.  Let  me  at  least  eat  in  peace." 

Denying  himself,  therefore,  the  pleasure  of 
reading  —  and  it  required  more  effort  than  can 
lightly  be  imagined, —  he  sat  down  to  his  break- 
fast. 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir,"  began  Somes  deferentially; 
"  but  aren't  you  going  to  look  over  the  papers, 
sir,  before  you  eat?" 

"  No,  thank  you,  Somes.  I  can  guess  pretty 
well  what  they  will  say." 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir,  again,"  said  the  man  with 
greater  eagerness,  "  but  there  are  some  things  in 
the  paper  which  I  think,  with  all  deference,  sir, 
you  can  hardly  guess." 

"  Whatever  they  are,  they  will  keep,  Somes," 


352  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

returned  Gormly,  busying  himself  with  his  meal. 
"  I  want  to  enjoy  one  good  meal  anyway  to-day, 
and—" 

But  Somes  was  unusually  persistent  as  well  as 
greatly  agitated.  He  had  been  up  early  and  had 
read  every  scrap  in  every  paper. 

"  I  hope  you'll  excuse  me,  Mr.  Gormly,  sir,"  he 
began;  "  but  I  really  think  it'll  add  to  your  appe- 
tite if  you  will  at  least  look  over  The  Planet,  sir." 

Gormly  shook  his  head  and  frowned  a  little. 

"  That  will  do,  Somes !  "  he  said  somewhat 
shortly.  "  I  will  see  the  papers  later." 

After  this  somewhat  peremptory  remark,  the 
man  naturally  subsided,  though  his  interest  and 
excitement  were  plainly  visible  in  his  nervous 
movements.  He  was  usually  the  most  delight- 
fully cool  and  imperturbable  of  attendants. 

"  You  mustn't  take  this  thing  so  greatly  to 
heart,  Somes,"  said  Gormly  at  last. 

"  Indeed,  sir,"  returned  the  man,  "  we're  all  so 
set  on  having  you  elected,  and  other  things,  sir, 
that—" 

What  he  was  going  to  say  remained  unsaid,  for 
with  that  delightful  opportuneness  which  can 
easily  be  compassed  by  chroniclers  of  such  vera- 
cious tales,  I  now  am  pleased  to  record  that  the 
bell  of  the  door  of  the  apartment  cut  across  the 
further  revelations  of  Somes  with  a  loud,  clear 
ring. 

"  See  who  it  is,  Somes,"  said  Gormly  indif- 
ferently. 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO       353 

"  It's  been  ringing  all  morning,  sir,"  said  the 
man,  turning  to  leave  the  room.  "  There's  been 
the  greatest  crowd  of  people  here,  reporters  and 
newspaper  men,  and  Mr.  Watson,  and  a  number 
of  gentlemen  who  are  campaigning  for  you,  and 
the  street's  packed  with  people  outside  too." 

"  Is  my  friend  the  Chief  of  Police  there?  " 

"  No,  sir.  But  there's  a  squad  of  officers  un- 
der a  Sergeant,  and  they're  making  people  that 
haven't  any  business  go  on." 

"  Well,  see  who  it  is  this  time,"  said  Gormly 
as  the  bell  rang  again. 

Somes  was  back  in  a  few  minutes. 

"  It's  the  janitor,  sir.  He  says  the  reception 
room  down  stairs  and  the  hall's  filled  with  peo- 
ple asking  to  see  you.  He  says  the  tenants  of 
the  building  can't  get  in  or  out,  and  he  wants  to 
know  what  to  do." 

Gormly  glanced  at  the  clock.  It  was  half-past 
nine. 

"  Tell  them  that  I  will  see  them  all  at  the  store 
in  the  auditorium  at  half-past  ten,"  he  replied. 
"  Tell  them  it's  useless  to  wait  here  now ;  that  I 
can't  see  anybody  at  present." 

"  Very  good,  sir,"  answered  the  man,  depart- 
ing again. 

Gormly  heaved  a  deep  sight  as  he  finished  his 
breakfast.  "  Well,"  he  thought,  "  I  have  to  face 
them,  and  perhaps  the  sooner  the  better.  Now, 
for  the  papers." 

He  looked  around  for  Somes;  but  that  func- 


354          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

tionary  had  not  yet  appeared.  He  pushed  back 
his  chair,  rose,  walked  over  to  the  buffet,  and 
picked  up  the  first  one.  Somes  had  been  careful 
to  see  that  the  top  of  the  pile  and  the  place  of 
honor  was  occupied  by  The  New  York  Planet. 
From  the  headlines,  Gormly  saw,  as  he  supposed 
he  would,  that  his  letter  and  the  accompanying 
story  covered  the  entire  first  page.  He  had 
scarcely  glanced  at  it  when  Somes  re-entered 
the  room,  if  possible  in  greater  agitation  than 
ever. 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir,"  he  began,  his  usual  method 
of  address. 

"Well,  what  is  it?" 

"  There's  two  people  in  the  drawing  room  ask- 
ing to  see  you." 

"  But  I  thought  I  gave  you  orders  not  to  ad- 
mit anybody,  to  tell  everybody  that  I  would  see 
them  at  the  auditorium  in  the  store  at  half-past 
ten?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  you  did,  sir.  But  I  couldn't  very 
well  keep  these  people  out." 

"Who  are  they?" 

Somes  hesitated,  looking  very  miserable. 
"  They  —  they  didn't  give  their  names,  sir." 

"  Well,  do  you  know  who  they  are?  " 

"  I  have  an  idea,  sir;  but — " 

"  Well,  who  are  they  then?  " 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir.     I  think  I'd  rather  not  say." 

"What's  all  this  mystery  about?"  asked 
Gormly  somewhat  indignantly. 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO        355 

"  I  think  it'll  be  disclosed,  sir,  if  you  will  see 
the  people." 

'  Tell  them  I  am  busy,n  said  Gormly.  "  I 
have  no  time  for  anonymous  callers." 

"Beg  pardon,  sir,"  said  Somes  again;  "but 
really,  Mr.  Gormly,  if  you'll  excuse  me,  sir,  this 
presumption,  you  must  see  them." 

"  Are  you  mad?  "  asked  Gormly. 

"  Nearly,  sir,"  answered  the  valet  truthfully. 

Gormly  looked  at  him  curiously.  There  was 
so  much  excitement  and  nervousness  in  the  man's 
manner,  and  yet  it  seemed  to  be  a  rather  cheer- 
ful excitement  too,  that  it  seemed  to  presage  some- 
thing of  importance.  At  any  rate,  after  a  mo- 
ment's reflection;  the  merchant  decided  from  the 
strangeness  of  the  situation  that  he  would  see  the 
people  mentioned.  Still  holding  the  paper  in 
his  hand,  he  stalked  out  of  the  dining  room, 
walked  rapidly  down  the  hall,  and  entered  the 
drawing  room.  If  he  had  looked  backward,  or  if 
his  eyes  had  possessed  the  power  of  the  X  ray,  he 
might  have  seen  the  dignified,  self  contained  Somes 
dancing  something  like  a  cross  between  a  hornpipe 
and  a  highland  fling  in  exuberant  joy  in  the  dining 
room. 

As  Gormly  entered  the  sunny,  cheerful  draw- 
ing room,  the  occupants  rose  to  greet  him.  One 
was  young  Haldane,  the  other  was  his  sister. 
Haldane  was  intensely  excited.  He  rushed  at 
Gormly  with  the  enthusiasm  of  a  boy;  grasped  his 
hand,  and  wrung  it  frantically. 


356          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  It's  all  right,"  fie  shouted.  "  It's  turned  out 
better  than  anybody  could  have  expected.  It's 
killed  the  opposition  dead.  Everybody  is  for 
you  now."  He  was  wearing  a  big  Gormly  but- 
ton and  Gormly  colors  on  the  outside  of  his  auto- 
mobile coat.  "  Whenever  anybody  caught  sight 
of  this,"  he  pointed,  "  as  I  was  coming  down 
town,  if  there  were  two  or  three  together,  they 
stopped  and  cheered  for  you.  It's  all  right." 

Gormly  heard  him  as  in  a  dream.  He  allowed 
him  to  shake  his  hand  as  he  might  have  shaken 
a  pump  handle,  could  that  ancient  and  useful  ar- 
ticle have  been  found  in  New  York.  He  was 
looking  with  all  his  soul  in  his  glance  at  Eleanor 
Haldane,  who  had  not  come  forward,  but  stood 
by  the  chair  in  which  she  had  sat,  her  hands 
tightly  clasping  the  low  back  of  it.  The  color 
that  had  flooded  her  face  when  she  first  saw  him 
had  subsided  almost  as  quickly  as  it  had  come. 
She  was  very  pale  and  trembling.  She  had  a 
nervous,  almost  frightened  look  which  made 
Gormly  want  to  rush  to  her,  comfort  her,  protect 
her,  and  take  her  in  his  arms.  Indeed,  his  first 
involuntary  movement  had  been  toward  her. 
That  movement  Haldane's  impetuous  dash  at  him 
had  checked. 

Thoughts,  strange,  bewildering,  rushed  through 
Gormly's  mind.  What  could  Miss  Haldane  be 
doing  there?  What  did  she  want?  Why  had 
she  come?  She  had  heard  of  the  incident.  He 
remembered  that  her  brother  had  taken  her  one 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO        357 

copy  of  his  letter  last  night.  What  did  her  pres- 
ence mean? 

"  I  just  came  down  here,"  continued  young 
Haldane,  "  to  tell  you  these  things  to  relieve  your 
anxiety,  and  to  bring  Eleanor.  She  wanted  to 
see  you  about —  Well,  you  know  about  what, 
of  course,  and — " 

Gormly  did  not  know  at  all;  but  he  nodded 
vaguely. 

"And  we  should  have  been  down  early;  but 
I  rather  thought  you'd  be  up  late.  In  fact,  I 
telephoned  Somes  early  this  morning,  and  just  as 
soon  as  you  signaled  him  he  came  out  and  called 
me  on  the  telephone.  I  believe  if  we  had  con- 
sulted our  own  inclinations  without  considering 
you,  we  should  have  come  down  last  night, 
wouldn't  we,  sis?  " 

The  woman  nodded.  She  could  not  command 
herself  to  speak. 

"  Of  course,  by  this  time  you've  read  all  about 
it  in  The  Planet.  That  old  miner  came  in  like 
a  scene  in  a  play.  It  was  perfectly  splendid,  and 
I  suppose,"  he  looked  meaningly  at  his  sister,  his 
glance  calling  the  color  once  more  to  her  cheek, 
"  that  you  have  read  the  other  communication, 
which  is  scarcely  less  important." 

Gormly  stared  at  him  in  utter  amazement. 

"  I  must  say,"  he  continued  mischievously, 
"  that  for  a  man  who  is  getting  everything  he 
wants  as  you  are,  you  are  singularly  undemon- 
strative about  it." 


358  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  Haldane,"  said  Gormly  at  last,  "  from  what 
you  say,  it  appears  that  the  episode  of  last  night 
has  not  had  the  unfavorable  bearing  on  my  can- 
didacy that  we  expected,  and  it  may  be  possible 
after  all  for  me  to  win;  but  dearly  as  I  should 
prize  that  success,  to  be  elected  would  not  be  giv- 
ing me  everything  I  want  by  a  long  shot." 

"  I  know  it  wouldn't,"  returned  the  young  man 
promptly;  "but — " 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  interposed  the  woman,  "  I 
don't  believe  that  you  have  read  the  morning 
papers?  " 

"  Not  yet,  Miss  Haldane." 

"  Oh!  "  cried  the  girl  in  great  dismay. 

"By  Jove!"  exclaimed  the  young  man,  "to 
think  of  it!  I  should  have  had  the  first  copy 
from  the  press  brought  to  me  if  I  had  been  in 
your  place.  Well  then,  I'll  tell  you  the  whole 
story.  Or  you've  got  it  in  The  Planet  and  you 
can  read  it  yourself.  We'll  excuse  you  while  you 
glance  over  it;  won't  we  sis?  " 

"  I  don't  understand,"  said  Gormly,  lifting  the 
paper  slowly.  He  had  not  yet  taken  his  eyes  off 
Miss  Haldane. 

"  On  second  thoughts,"  said  the  young  man,  "  I 
guess  Eleanor  had  better  tell  you  herself.  If 
you'll  excuse  me,  you  two,  for  a  few  moments, 
I'll  go  into  the  library." 

"  Livingstone!  "  cried  the  girl  imploringly;  but 
her  brother  only  laughed  as  he  left  the  room, 
carefully  closing  the  door  behind  him. 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO        359 

"  What  is  it  that  I  am  to  be  told,  Miss  Hal- 
dane?"  asked  Gormly,  stepping  toward  her,  pa- 
per still  in  hand. 

Miss  Haldane  was  in  a  dilemma.  She  had 
been  surprised  when  he  had  entered  the  room  that 
Gormly  had  not  greeted  her  differently.  Her 
position  was  a  tremendously  difficult  one  at  best, 
and  his  failure  to  read  the  paper  had  rendered  it 
almost  insupportable. 

"  I  think,"  she  faltered  at  last,  "  that  I  had 
better  go.  You  can  see  me  later  in  the  day, 
and—" 

"  No,"  said  Gormly  resolutely,  "  you  must  not 
go  yet.  You  came  down  here  for  some  purpose. 
That  fact  that  I  have  not  read  the  papers  seems 
to  have  affected  you  strangely.  If  you  will  give 
me  five  minutes,  I  can  look  them  over  and  per- 
haps obtain  some  clue  to  your  conduct;  but  I 
would  rather  you  would  tell  me  what  it  is,  do 
what  you  were  going  to  do,  say  what  you  were 
going  to  say  when  you  came  in,  than  try  to  find 
out  from  the  newspapers." 

"  Don't  you  want  to  hear  what  they  say  about 
you?" 

"  I  had  rather  hear  what  you  have  to  say  than 
anything  in  the  world,  and  I  want  to  tell  you  first 
of  all  what  comfort,  what  pride,  what  satisfaction, 
I  take  in  your  presence  here.  I  know  you  read 
the  miserable  story.  Your  brother  had  my  per- 
mission to  tell  it  to  you  last  night,  if  you  were 
awake." 


360  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

"  I  was  awake  and  waiting  for  him." 
'  Your  interest  does  me  much  honor,"  con- 
tinued the  man,  "  and  that  you  have  come  to  me 
now  this  morning  is,  as  I  say,  the  greatest  thing 
that  could  happen  to  me.  I  don't  really  care  now 
what  the  world  thinks.  You  have  given  me  evi- 
dence enough  that  you  still  respect  me." 

"  You  don't  know  all  the  evidence  yet,"  said 
the  woman  faintly. 

She  forced  herself  to  look  at  him.  If  she  had 
consulted  her  inclinations,  she  would  have  run 
away;  but  that  could  not  be. 

"  Yes,"  said  Gormly  vaguely,  scarcely  noting 
her  low  voiced  statement.  "  Now  that  it  is  all 
over  and  now  that  I  have  lost  you,  if  indeed  it  is 
proper  to  say  I  had  lost  what  I  had  never  pos- 
sessed and  never  could  have  possessed,  you  will 
understand  that  it  was  this  incident  to  which  I 
alluded  when  you  said  you  respected  me  because 
I  had  been  a  perfectly  straight,  square  man. 
Your  words  cut  me  to  the  heart;  not  because  I 
wasn't  straight  or  square  now  or  that  I  had  not 
made  what  amends  I  could  for  the  actions  of  a 
boy  and  a  fool  since  I  had  become  a  man,  but 
because  after  this  I  could  never  persuade  you  or 
any  one  that  I  had  not  always  been  so,  and  be- 
cause I  could  not  bear  to  have  even  your  respect 
on  a  false  pretense.  I  wanted  to  tell  you  many 
times,  and  you  know  of  course  that  if  things  had 
shaped  themselves  differently  and  you  could  have 
cared  for  me,  I  should  have  told  you  the  whole 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO        361 

story  before  I  allowed  you  to  say  you  would  be- 
come—  my  wife." 

"  I  am  sure  that  you  would  have  done  so,  Mr. 
Gormly,"  said  the  girl. 

"  And  that  you  have  come  here  to  give  me  that 
assurance,  to  show  me  that  you  have  not  lost  con- 
fidence in  me  in  spite  of  the  frightful  tangle  in 
our  affairs,  my  antagonism  to  your  —  to  the 
Gotham  Freight  Traction  Company  and  then  — 
this.  That  I  take  it  was  your  purpose  in  com- 
ing? " 

"Yes,"  faltered  the  girl,  "that,  and—" 

"  What  more  ?  "  asked  the  man.  "  Is  there 
anything  I  can  do  for  you,  anything  you  want?  " 
he  burst  out  eagerly.  "  We  haven't  given  much 
thought  to  the  settlement  house  lately." 

"  There  is  something  I  want  very  much  indeed, 
Mr.  Gormly." 

She  was  trembling  now  in  every  limb.  Her 
knees  actually  smote  together. 

"  You  are  nervous,  excited,  not  well,  Miss  Hal- 
dane,"  said  Gormly,  observing  her  agitation. 
"  Won't  you  sit  down  ?  Let  me  get  you  some- 
thing, or — " 

"  No.  And  I  won't  sit  down,  thank  you.  I 
can  tell  you  better  standing  up.  As  I  said,  I  do 
want  something." 

"  Whatever  it  is,  if  it  is  in  my  power  to  give  it, 
it  is  yours.  What  is  it  that  you  want?  " 

He  smiled  kindly  at  her.  It  was  a  strange 
time  to  make  a  request,  he  thought ;  but  the  queen 


362          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

could  do  no  wrong,  and  if  she  chose  to  ask  him 
for  anything  now  she  should  have  it.  Therefore, 
he  waited  with  eager  interest  for  her  reply. 

The  woman  opened  her  mouth  to  speak.  She 
moistened  her  lips.  Words  apparently  were  diffi- 
cult, perhaps  impossible. 

"What  is  it  that  you  want,  Miss  Haldane?" 
asked  Gormly  again. 

The  girl  summoned  all  her  courage  and  resolu- 
tion. She  straightened  herself  visibly,  the 
trembling  stopped;  for  a  moment  she  looked  at 
him  fairly  in  the  face.  There  was  no  color  in 
her  own.  Emotions  in  her  heart  lay  too  deep 
for  such  outward  emphasis. 

"  I  want  you !  "  she  said  in  her  low,  clear  voice. 

Gormly  lifted  his  hand  and  stared  at  her. 

"  You  want  —  me!  "  he  faltered.  "  What  do 
you  mean?  " 

"  I  mean  to  be  your  wife,"  was  the  direct  an- 
swer. 

"My  wife!" 

"  Yes.     That  is,  if  you  —  still  —  want  me." 

Gormly  started  at  her  in  amazement. 

"  You  do,  don't  you?  "  burst  out  the  girl  sud- 
denly. "  Oh!  what  have  I  done?  " 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  have  done,"  said 
Gormly,  trembling  in  his  turn.  "  I  hardly  know 
what  you  mean." 

"  I  mean  just  what  I  said,  and  you  —  you  said 
you  loved  me.  Don't  you?  " 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO       363 

"  Do  I  understand  aright?  "  said  the  man,  shut- 
ting his  teeth  together.  "  After  all  that  is  in  the 
paper  this  morning,  do  you  mean  to  say  that  you 
will  marry  me?  " 

"  I  do  mean  just  that,"  was  the  answer. 

"  But,"  said  the  man,  "  you  said  you  did  not 
love  me,  and  — " 

"  Must  I  do  all  the  wooing?  "  cried  the  girl  pas- 
sionately. 

'  You  offered  yourself  to  me  once  before,"  went 
on  Gormly  relentlessly. 

"  And  you  refused  me.  Will  you  do  so 
again?  " 

"  Why  do  you  come  to  me  now?  " 

"  Can't  you  think  of  the  reason?  " 

"  I  don't  want  to  think;  I  want  to  hear." 

"  I  love  you  then,"  said  the  girl  resolutely. 
"  You  are  the  bravest,  noblest,  most  splendid  man 
on  earth.  If  you  will  take  me,  I  will  be  the  hap- 
piest, proudest,  thankfullest  woman  that  the  sun 
shines  on." 

"  Take  you !  "  repeated  Gormly.  "  But  I  can't 
understand  — " 

"  Will  you  understand  this?  "  asked  the  girl. 

She  walked  slowly  toward  him.  She  laid  her 
hand  on  his  shoulder.  She  lifted  her  face  to  his. 
His  arm  went  around  her  waist.  What  she  had 
begun,  he  finished.  He  swept  her  to  him.  She 
gave  herself  up  yieldingly  to  his  embrace.  When 
his  lips  sought  hers,  there  was  no  avoidance.  Her 


364  THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

arm  slipped  round  his  neck  and  tightened  there. 
And  then  at  last  he  understood.  After  awhile  she 
drew  away  from  him. 

'You  don't  ask  me  what  I  have  done?"  she 
said. 

;'  I  neither  know  nor  care  since  you  are  here  and 
you  are  mine." 

"  Perhaps  I  should  not  have  been  here,"  she  re- 
turned, "  if  we  had  not  been  already  engaged  and 
the  engagement  already  announced." 

"  I  am  very  stupid  this  morning,"  said  Gormly 
in  some  bewilderment. 

'  You  certainly  are,"  was  the  answer.  "  For  a 
man  who  aspires  to  be  Mayor  of  New  York,  you 
are  quite  the  stupidest  and  dearest  person  imagin- 
able." 

"  I  have  wit  enough  at  least  to  know  where  I 
can  get  correct  information  upon  all  points." 

"And  where  is  that?" 

"  Here!  "  said  Gormly,  pressing  with  his  own 
the  loveliest  lips  in  the  world,  which  smiled  at  him 
and  were  not  refused  his  touch.  "  What  have  you 
done  and  how  has  our  engagement,  which,  so  far 
as  I  know,  was  not  entered  into  until  a  moment 
since,  been  announced?" 

"Would  you  make  me  a  storyteller?"  asked 
the  girl,  laughing. 

"A  storyteller!" 

"  Oh,  foolish  man  and  blind,"  said  she,  "  who 
knows  so  much  of  men  and  so  little  of  woman ! 
You  did  not  realize  that  there  was  a  side  to  the  sex 


AND  THEN  AT  LAST  HE  UNDERSTOOD. 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO      365 

that  was  not  comprehended  in  fashions  and  furbe- 
lows, did  you  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head,  his  bewilderment  growing. 

"  Read  that !  "  she  cried,  releasing  herself  from 
his  grasp  and  handing  him  the  neglected  copy  of 
The  Planet. 

She  turned  to  the  editorial  page  and  pointed  to 
a  postscript  to  the  leader  of  the  morning,  which 
was  a  discussion  highly  eulogistic  of  Gormly's  ac- 
tion and  character.  The  postscript  was  in  the 
form  of  a  belated  communication  which  had  been 
received  at  the  office  of  The  Planet  at  the  last 
moment,  and  had  been  forced  into  the  paper 
because  it  furnished  the  final  and  completing  touch 
to  the  other  revelations  it  contained.  It  had  been 
printed  in  heavy  black  capitals,  double  spaced. 
Coming  closer  to  her,  so  that  he  held  her  with  one 
arm,  Gormly  took  the  paper  with  the  other  and 
read: 

The  engagement  of  Mr.  George  Gormly  to 
Miss  Eleanor  Haldane  is  authoritatively  an- 
nounced. The  future  Mayor  of  New  York  is  to 
be  congratulated  upon  having  won  for  his  prom- 
ised wife  the  young  woman,  who  not  only  from  her 
beauty  of  mind  and  person  but  because  of  her  lively 
and  practical  interest  in  the  poor,  the  oppressed 
and  suffering,  is  easily  first  among  the  daughters 
of  our  great  city.  The  Planet  feels  that  this 
announcement  supplies  the  completing  touch  to  the 
other  admirable  qualifications  which  Mr.  Gormly 


366          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

possesses  for  the  great  office  to  which  he  has  as- 
pired and  to  which  the  people  mean  to  see  him 
elected  to-morrow. 

'  "  Who  did  it?  "  asked  Gormly. 

"  I  did." 

"But  why?" 

"  First  of  all,  because  I  found  out  that  I  loved 
you." 

"  Why  did  you  do  it  last  night?  " 

"  Because  I  believed  that  such  an  announcement 
this  morning,  with  its  implication  of  trust,  and 
honor,  and  affection,  would  do  more  to  establish 
you  in  the  public  confidence  than  almost  anything 
that  could  be  imagined." 

'  You  have  made  my  election  certain.  But 
whether  you  have  or  not,  I  could  almost  believe 
that  winning  you,  I  don't  care." 

"  Don't  say  that,"  interrupted  the  woman,  de- 
lighted nevertheless  at  this  splendid  declaration. 

"  Your  father  and  mother,  do  they  know  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  I  told  them  at  breakfast  this 
morning." 

"How  did  they  take  it?" 

"  You  can  imagine  what  my  mother  thought 
and  said,"  answered  the  girl,  smiling  faintly. 

"And  your  father?" 

She  sighed  deeply. 

"  My  father,  I  imagine,  is  not  unwilling  to  have 
a  friend  at  court.  What  are  you  going  to  do 
when  you  are  elected?  " 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO        36? 

"  Marry  you  the  first  thing." 

"  I  mean  after  that." 

"  Live  to  make  you  happy." 

"  Do  be  reasonable !  I  mean  what  are  you  go- 
ing to  do  with  the  opposition." 

"  I  am  going  to  do  justly  and  fairly  by  all  men, 
whoever  they  are,  whatever  they  may  have  done. 
Mine  shall  be  no  policy  of  ruin.  Some  things 
must  be  broken  down ;  but  my  aim  shall  be  to  up- 
build." 

"  I  thought  so,"  returned  the  girl.  "  And  what 
are  you  going  to  do  with  the  one  woman?  " 

"  I  am  going  to  love  her  as  no  woman  was  ever 
loved  before  in  this  world." 

How  long  this  might  have  continued  can  never 
be  told.  Young  Haldane  interrupted  them. 

"  Mr.  Gormly,"  he  said,  "  I  see  you  have  heard 
the  news." 

"  I  have  heard  the  essential  part  of  it  from  your 


sister." 


"  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  haven't  read 
the  paper  yet  ?  Well,  sit  down  and  read  it,  or  I'll 
withdraw  my  influence  and  vote  against  you.  I 
suppose  all  Eleanor  told  you  was  the  news  of  her 
engagement?  " 

"  Well,  wasn't  that  enough?  " 

"  Enough !  "  cried  the  young  man.  '  Why, 
you  want  to  read  the  interview  with  Colonel  Bill 
Hamilton.  It's  the  finest  thing  that  ever  ap- 
peared. Everybody  knows  that  you  didn't  shoot 
the  man,  but  that  the  woman  did.  They  know 


368          THE  RING  AND  THE  MAN 

too  that  you  gave  her  your  horse  in  the  snow  and 
that  she  abandoned  you.  Why,  man,  you're  a 
hero!" 

'  To  be  perfectly  frank  with  you,  Haldane,  this 
is  all  most  interesting  and  gratifying.  How  on 
earth  Bill  Hamilton  turned  up  at  the  right  moment 
and  told  the  truth,  I  don't  know ;  but  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  I  do  truly  care  more  for  your  sister's  action 
and  I  get  more  satisfaction  out  of  the  fact  that  I 
am  going  to  be  married  to  her  immediately  after 
the  election  than  I  will  in  winning,  if  we  win." 

"  You  are  sure  to  win,"  said  Haldane. 

"  I  told  you  not  to  say  that,"  said  the  girl  to  her 
lover. 

"  Now  read  the  paper,  and  then  we'll  go  up- 
town." 

What  more  is  there  to  tell?  Miss  Haldane,  in 
view  of  the  new  relationship  between  them,  boldly 
rode  up  to  the  auditorium  in  the  great  store  by  the 
side  of  Gormly  in  the  tonneau  of  her  brother's  big 
car.  The  enormous  crowd  that  filled  the  great 
hall  to  overflowing,  that  packed  the  streets  outside, 
that  suspended  all  traffic;  the  addresses  that 
Gormly  made;  the  frantic  cheering  that  greeted 
him  as  he  stood  overlooking  the  greatest  multitude 
that  had  ever  filled  that  section  of  Broadway,  Miss 
Haldane  on  one  side  and  his  old  friend  of  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century  back,  Colonel  Bill  Hamilton  on  the 
other,  with  Haldane,  Whitefield,  and  a  great 
galaxy  of  supporters  in  the  background,  including 
Abbott  the  cub  reporter,  scribbling  like  mad  on  the 


SOMETHING  TO  LIVE  UP  TO         369 

greatest  story  of  the  day, —  these  have  all  passed 
into  history.  The  result  of  the  election,  which 
occurred  next  day,  is  of  course  known  to  every- 
body. 

Gormly  was  overwhelmingly  voted  in  and  the 
votes  cast  were  fairly  counted.     He  received  bulle- 
tins in  his  private  office  in  the  great  store.     Those 
who  had  stood  overlooking  the  crowd  the  night  be- 
fore were  with  him.     This  time  young  Haldane, 
whose    engagement    was    also    announced,     had 
brought  Miss  Stewart  to  keep  his  sister  company. 
After  the  final  bulletin  came  in,  which  assured  him 
that  he  had  won,  the  others  congratulated  him  and 
withdrew  a  space  and  left  him  to  Miss  Haldane. 
"  It  is  over,"  he  said,  "  and  we  have  won!  " 
"  Yes.     No  one  congratulates  you  as  I." 
"  I  have  a  great  deal  to  live  up  to,"  was  the 
slow  answer. 

"As  Mayor  of  New  York?"  she  questioned 

softly. 

"  As  your  husband,"  he  replied. 


THE   END 


BY  CYRUS  TOWNSEND  BRADY 

The  Adventures  of  Lady  Susan 

This  is  a  sparkling  story  of  love  and  adventure.  Lady 
Susan.the  beautiful  American  wife  of  an  English  nobleman, 
outraged  by  what  she  supposes  the  infidelity  of  her  hus- 
band, flies  from  her  home  rather  than  submit  to  the  in- 
dignity. The  daughter  of  an  American  sea  captain,  and 
more  at  home  afloat  than  ashore,  she  succeeds,  after  as- 
tonishing adventures,  in  getting  aboard  an  American  ship 
which  is  cruising  off  the  coast. 

Circumstances   rapidly  straighten   out   after    that,   the 
satisfying  climax  coming  to  pass  in  a  dramatic  manner. 
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"A   thoroughly   good   novel." — Chicago    Record-Herald. 

"Told  in  gallant  fashion  with  the  fresh  air  blowing  all 
through  it." — Chicago  Evening  Post. 

"It  is  a  good  story,  and  told  in  Brady's  best  style." — 
San  Francisco  Call. 

"Cyrus  Townsend  Brady  has  seldom  used  his  rapid-fire 
literary  batteries  to  better  effect  than  in  this  love  story 
of  the  closing  days  of  the  American  Revolution." — New- 
ark Evening  News. 

Illustrated  by  George  Gibbs.    12mo.     $1.50 

Richard  the  Brazen 

(Written  in  collaboration  with  Edward  Peple) 

"Winged  with  the  spirit  of  laughter." — Boston  Herald. 
"Sparkles  with  the  audacity  of  youth." — Brooklyn  Eagle. 

"A  spirited  and  enjoyable  story,  treated  with  a  fresh- 
ness and  vigor  that  captivates." — Chicago  Daily  News. 

"Delightful  comedy,  with  now  and  then  a  touch  of 
melodrama,  and  a  few  charming  love  scenes,  furnish  the 
material  for  this  clever  and  entertaining  story."  —  New 
York  Times  Saturday  Review. 

Illustrated  in  Colors  by  George  Gibbs.    12mo.    $1.50 

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BY  CYRUS  TOWNSEND  BRADY 

*'A  Reverently  and  Carefully  Executed  Work" 

Oethsemane  and  After 

A  NEW  SETTING  OF  AN  OLD  STOBY 


WHAT  THE  BOOK  IS 

1.  A  complete  and  carefully  wrought  out  Harmony  of 
the  Gospels  describing  our  Lord's  Passion. 

2.  A  practicable,  easy-to-be  understood  arrangement  of 
the  scenes  of  that  great  tragedy. 

3.  An  attempt  to  harmonize  the  discrepancies  in  the 
different  accounts  in  the  four  Evangelists. 

4.  A  carefully  studied  and  accurate  commentary  upon 
the  scenes  and  happenings,  with  careful  descriptions  of 
the  places  from  the  best  and  latest  authorities. 

5.  An  attempt  to  bring  out  the  force  and  appeal  of 
the  Passion  by  presenting  it  as  it  may  have  and  probably 
did  happen. 

WHAT  BISHOP  WHITTAKER  SAYS  OF  IT 

"I  have  read  it  through  with  profound  interest.  The 
dramatic  setting  of  the  closing  scenes  of  our  Lord's  life 
makes  the  accounts  given  by  the  Evangelists  seem  even 
more  vivid  and  real.  It  deepens  the  believer's  sympathy 
with  the  suffering  Savior  and  awakens  a  keener  sense  of 
the  sin  and  danger  of  crucifying  to  one's  self  the  Son  of 
God  afresh." 

SAMPLE  OPINIONS  OF  THE  PRESS 

41  The  sincerity  and  reverence  with  which  the  Christ  tragedy  has 
been  framed  will,  it  seems  certain,  hold  the  attention  of  many  a 
reader  who  would  not  have  sought  the  story  at  its  source.  — 
Chicago  Tribune. 

"  A  reverently  and  carefully  executed  work  and  one  which  will 
greatly  aid  the  student  of  the  closing  scenes  of  Christ's  earthly 
life— a  sort  of  modern  Passion  Play  intended  for  thejcloset,  not  for 
the  stage." — Cumberland  Presbyterian. 

"  One  of  the  most  impressive  and  soul-stirring  representations 
of  the  world's  greatest  tragedy  that  has  probably  ever  been  made." 
— Chicago  Daily  News. 

"  Makes  a  strong  appeal  not  only  to  those  imbued  with  a  strong 
religious  feeling  and  love  of  Christ,  but  to  all  lovers  of  beauty, 
poesy  and  heroism." — Augusta,  Ga.,  Chronicle, 

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